I wrote to my newspaper "thanks a lot, Ohio"

[Undercover Owl]

I wrote this letter to the Oregonian just now. I think it's pretty good. What do you think?

Thanks a lot, Ohio

"A fair election in the United States, is that too much to ask?
Those Ohio delegates are acting as though an investigation of voter
fraud would be too much of a hassle. Their resistance, alone, is
enough to convince me that voter fraud did occur. A grand total of
20 people (did you say all 20 are Republicans; that part was
glossed over) stamp their approval on the shady outcome that
affects the entire nation. What is the point of voting if we don't
know that our votes will count? And why is this such a minor issue
in the media?

Everyone should care whether elections are legitimate or rigged,
regardless of whether they agree with this outcome, because next
year they might be the cheated ones. People who agree with the
outcome of a rigged election this year may not like the outcome the
next time the election is rigged. Election fraud is supposed to be
a crime, or has that changed? Apparently, we had better to learn
to like election fraud, since it has become acceptable."

---my name

[liberal N proud]

1. I agree with you that it is wrong the way they resisted but

I don't think all of them are Repukes.
I think there are some Democrats that are electors, some are elected officials.
I remember hearing a story before the election about the Ohio electors and a conflict of interest for some of them that are in Congress or other positions.
The recount is going on as we write.

[Undercover Owl]

3. that part was unclear

I should have doubled checked with another source about the 20 people being Republicans, but I also wanted to let them know that part was unclear. (AP article). Yeah, that did sound too extreme to be true, but ya never know.

[MrUnderhill]

6. No... all 20 are republicans.

That's the way the electoral college system works. EACH candidate has a "slate" of electors (20 in Ohio) that will vote for him. When we hold the general election, we aren't technically voting for Kerry or Bush, we're voting for his electors.

In fact, in most (all?) states, the ballots actually read "electors for Kerry" rather than "Kerry".

The declared winner gets all of his electors in to the vote that Constitutionally must have taken place on Monday. So they are expected to vote the way they did... anything else is actually pretty big news (One of Kerry's electors in another state actually goofed up and now Edwards has one electoral vote).

[liberal N proud]

8. Not completely true, Electors are not obligated by law to vote

for the candidate who wone the state.
However they have always honored the electoral system and voted as the state voted.
I do know that one of the Ohio Electors is a Democrat Congressman past that, I can not verify others.

[ISUGRADIA]

9. "one of the Ohio Electors is a Democrat Congressman "

where did you hear this? Normally electors are party stalwarts and I believe a member of Congress cannot constitutionally be an elector.

[MrUnderhill]

10. A couple corrections.

In most states it IS illegal to vote for anyone else, and in ALL cases they have taken an oath or made some other pledge to the party to vote correctly. A "faithless elector" (as they are called) can also have his vote challenged in Congress when the vote is received and have it switched back (as would no doubt happen in this case).

It is certainly NOT true that one of the Ohio electors is a Congressman... that's in direct violation of the Constitution (which forbids it specifically). I know that one was chosen (by some idiot), but had he not been replaced (he was), Kerry would have gotten one fewer electoral vote had he won the state.

[kuozzman]

2. All 20 of Ohio's representatives are Rethugs???

I'm certainly believe you, I just had no idea. And the letter is great, hopefully it will get printed!

Read my new blog, it's funny, about the voting machines in Congress.
http://ignorantusa.tripod.com/congressionalvoting/

[Undercover Owl]

4. maybe not but

..it sounded like that in the original article though.

[MercutioATC]

5. Of course they are.

Each party chooses its electors, who then cast their votes if that party's candidate wins. The 20 in Ohio that got to vote were Republicans. The 20 who didn't were Democrats (oh...and I'm sure Badnarik had 20 chosen, too).

[ISUGRADIA]

7. Members of the electoral college

not members of Congress

[Undercover Owl]

11. I can see that I'll learn a lot from the DU forums.

Our electoral college is complicated, isn't it.