Americans tout the benefits and ideals of their democratic political system. So why is there such persistent criticism of the election process? Detractors claim that American elections are completely driven by money or controlled by special interests, that incumbents have too much of an advantage, that the news media are too interested in scandal, and that in today’s partisan world, the winners will not compromise on policy issues. If these critics are right, then what exactly is wrong with the process and how should it be fixed? Stephen Wayne answers these tough questions, exploring both critical and controversial issues, looking at American democracy in both theory and practice.

The third edition is a thorough update, covering such topics as voter turnout problems, voting fraud and irregularities, new legislation designed to reform the campaign finance system, the front-loading of the nomination process, and the use of the Internet by candidates. In addition, each chapter concludes with a critical thinking section that features discussion questions, topics for debate, research-oriented exercises, and suggested online resources.

1. Democratic Elections: What’s the Problem?

2. The Popular Base of American Electoral Politics: Suffrage and Turnout

3. How Representative Are American Elections?

4. Has Money Corrupted Our Electoral Process

5. News Media: Watchdog or Pit Bull?

6. Are Political Parties Still Representative?

7. The Nomination Process: Whose Is It Anyway?

8. Campaign Communications: How Much Do They Matter?

9. Elections and Government: A Tenuous Connection

“I am always confident that my students will read Is This Any Way to Run a Democratic Election? (which is an eternal question for any assigned text) because it is inherently engaging due to its Socratic-like framework and because it is eminently accessible and understandable for the undergraduate community due to the writing style and coherence in structure of the book. This is a remarkably approachable text without the undesirable result of problematically dumbing things down—it is a wonderfully informative read covering all relevant bases properly, and it is worthy of assignment in any university course on Campaigns and Elections. I truly cannot speak highly enough of this book—kudos to Stephen Wayne for lending such a helping hand to professors teaching American elections.”

“Stephen Wayne concisely presents the basics of how the U.S. electoral system operates and then asks the normative question, Is This Any Way to Run a Democratic Election? that becomes the key to unlocking discussion and critical thinking among your students! This text really gets students engaged!”

“Of the various books that I have assigned, Is This Any Way to Run a Democratic Election? may be the best. The students actually read it, and I receive unsolicited comments about how much they thought the book was interesting and thought provoking. While many students start off with simplistic assumptions about politics and elections, Wayne’s book prompts them to think more critically. Even students who had little interest in politics at the beginning of the course found the book readable, engaging, and balanced.”

"Stephen Wayne's book is a great supplement to the standard textbook in an introduction to American politics course. It covers important issues and controversies in language that is straightforward and easy to understand. At the same time, it stimulates critical thinking. This book encourages students to think about not only how things work, but also how things can and should be improved, in the U.S. electoral process. The comparative sections are also very enlightening."

Stephen J. Wayne is a well known author and lecturer on the American presidency. A professor of government at Georgetown University since 1988 and a Washington-based “insider” for almost 40 years, Wayne has written or edited 11 books, many in multiple editions, authored over 100 articles, chapters, and reviews that have appeared in professional journals, scholarly compilations, newspapers, and magazines. At Georgetown, Wayne teaches courses in the area of American government, specializing on the presidency, and psychology and politics.

Professor Wayne is frequently quoted by White House journalists, regularly appears on television and radio news shows. He lectures widely at home and aboard to international visitors, college students, federal executives, and business leaders. He has testified before Congress on the subject of presidential elections and governance and before Democratic and Republican Party advisory committees on the presidential nomination processes. He served as a consultant on presidential staffing in the United States and abroad and participated in transition projects for the National Academy of Public Administration and the Presidency Research Group.