Ever since 1980, the Federal Election Commission has published a book of election returns for federal office. The book is the most accurate reference available. It is even more accurate than America Votes, which is published by a for-profit publisher and which charged $250 for the 2016 volume.

The Federal Election Commission finished the 2016 book many months ago, and it it on-line. The title is “Federal Elections 2016.” It is 197 pages. Unfortunately, even though the FEC would like the book to be printed as a book, instead of just on-line, the U.S. Government Publishing Office seems to be considering never producing the book at all, on the theory that it isn’t needed because it is on-line.

The 2016 presidential election results are the most complicated election returns for any U.S. presidential election in history. There were more candidates on the ballot than at any presidential election in history, and there were more write-ins cast, as a percentage, since any presidential election in history. People who work with election returns appreciate having the complete record in book form.

If you care about this, please contact your member of the U.S. House and ask them to ask the Government Publishing Office to print the book. All members of Congress have large staffs to handle constituent requests like this.

For more, check out the 2016 electoral map.