Electoral College scenarios 'Faithless electors'

[nedbal]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6267752/

Scary scenarios swirl around '04 election
Electoral College deadlock, terrorist strike among fears

The Associated Press
Updated: 11:36 a.m. ET Oct. 17, 2004

>>>>>'Faithless electors'
Another quirk involves "faithless electors," who refuse to cast their electoral votes for the person chosen by their state's voters. This rarely happens - only 10 times in history - but even one this year could be critical. And one of the five Republican electors from West Virginia is holding out the possibility of withholding his vote for Bush if the president carries the state.<<<<<<<<

While the FULL story above is breaking now. I traced back this W.Va mention to a story that got little coverage


http://www.herald-dispatch.com/2004/September/09/LNlist7.htm

NEWS |Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004 E-mail Story | Print Story |

W.Va. GOP elector says he might not cast electoral vote for Bush{/bold]

By JENNIFER BUNDY - The Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- If President Bush wins West Virginia, one of the state’s five Republican electors says he might not cast his Electoral College vote for Bush to protest the president’s economic and foreign policies.

"I think President Bush needs to get the message from people across the this country, including Republicans, that his strategy in national security and his economic policies need (to be) revisited," South Charleston Mayor Richie Robb said Wednesday.

A lawyer and former gubernatorial candidate, Robb was named an elector at the state GOP’s convention earlier this summer.

Robb said it is unlikely he would cast his electoral vote for Democrat John Kerry or anyone else but he is considering withholding it.

"My job is to exercise my best judgment. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<



F"Y"I since DU search is for donors only
use a yahoo or google search limited to domain such as
Robb electors Electoral College site:democraticunderground.com

to see if the article has been posted

[Chico Man]

1. FYI Yahoo or Google needs to crawl the site

There seems to be a 24 hr delay..

Do search for Oct-17-04 site:democraticunderground.com

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. This is dangerous..lots of people were cheering when that story broke

but Repubs can simply pay off electors.

[Wapsie B]

4. That could very well be

one of the repug's strategies. To hell with the popular vote. Buy off enough electors and coast to victory.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

10. or threaten them with death

or worse.

[Kolesar]

3. Congress can vote to "not accept" the electors as presented

That is how I understand it. Don't quote me.

[factcheck]

5. Now THERE is a change

that should be made to the EC system! Electors should be bound to the outcome of the voting within their state. I am not sure what the reasoning would be for them not to be.

[ace2u_in_MD]

6. But, what about Florida 2000...

If the Electors went "faithless" due to the voting cluster f**k, things would have been different...

I am not sure how I feel about this...

[MGKrebs]

9. I might go for that if it was proportional,

but this all or nothing crap is ridiculous.

[factcheck]

12. I don't want to get into this again...

but, yes, let's use proportional voting where a single electoral vote going one way or the other is decided by only a few thousand votes at best.

With that few votes, we will have disputes, recounts and lawsuits galore, nationwide!!!

We will have to start voting a year early just to have the results ready for the actual Election Day, and that is just a MAYBE. :)

[daleo]

7. Expect some interesting new shenanigans

Bush and company will try some angle, you can be pretty sure of that.

[SoCalDem]

8. Look.. a "faithless elector" who was serious about this sort of thing

would KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUT...until the time came for them to actually cast their vote..

This is all "drama queen" stuff to get attention or favors..

Anyone who "cannot be trusted" will be replaced ..with lots of time to spare.. They don't even "vote" until December anyway..

[alfredo]

11. Maybe the bribe from the RNC was not big enough

to suit him.

I do remember talk of the RNC wanting to woo the electors to vote for bush.

[kayell]

16. Or it's an interesting way to get us to accept the idea that Dem electors

might cast their vote for * "for the good of the nation".

Where is my tinfoil?

[newyawker99]

13. Hi nedbal!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[illumn8d]

14. Not likely

I will believe it when I see it.

[July]

15. I think this would be the end of the electoral college.

The disconnect between the will of the people and the actual power to choose our leaders would be too great.

[bunkerbuster1]

18. You say that like it would be a Bad Thing.

The Electoral College sucks elephant ass.

That said, perhaps more states will go the Maine and (potentially) Colorado route. Not perfect, but getting there, and it doesn't require mucking around with the US Constitution.

[July]

19. You're reading me wrong.

I'm just making a prediction.

I'd like real electoral reform, from the EC to registration to paper ballots.

[ibegurpard]

17. This man should be replaced

This sets a very scary precedent that EVERYONE should be afraid of.