Presidents are elected not by direct popular vote but by 538 members of the Electoral College.

Redistricting is a deeply political process, with incumbents actively seeking to minimize the risk to themselves (via bipartisan gerrymanders) or to gain additional seats for their party (via partisan gerrymanders).

With the parties at virtual parity and the ideological gulf between them never greater, the stakes of majority control of Congress are extremely high.

Knowledge of the soul would unfailingly make us melancholy if the pleasures of expression did not keep us alert and of good cheer.

Responsibility for overseeing the implementation of election law typically resides with partisan officials, many with public stakes in the election outcome.

But presidential approval also became a surrogate measure of national unity and patriotism.

Some of necessities go astray, because for them there is no such thing as a right path.