Understanding the Fundamentals of the U.S. Presidential Election System

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This book is the first to analyze the fundamental principles behind the U.S. presidential election system and the competing proposals for its improvement. It examines how certain election rules in the U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act can lead to skewed election outcomes and stalemates. The author argues that the Act may not address some rare situations that the Twentieth Amendment allows Congress to handle. Additionally, the book questions the constitutionality of the National Popular Vote Plan, which aims to implement a direct popular presidential election without amending the Constitution, highlighting its potential violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Numerical examples demonstrate that the claims made by proponents of the plan—that it will incentivize candidates to pursue votes in every state—lack a solid foundation. Ultimately, the book proposes an improved election system that combines the “one state, one vote” principle with the “one person, one vote” principle at the national level. This plan ensures that no state loses its current Electoral College benefits while increasing attention from presidential candidates across all states.