Are all electors mandated to reflect their states' votes?

[MissMarple]

Or can some cast their electoral vote independently? I was thinking that this was discussed as a possibility in 2000.

[Kolesar]

1. Some have changed their votes to obscure third party candidates..eom

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. Essentially yes

If they don't vote according to the electoral results of their state, then it gets thrown to the Senate, which has a GOP majority (and Zell Miller!).

[CO Liberal]

3. Nope - It Goes to the House

Which has a GOP majority (and Tom DeLay).

All the more reason to vote Democratic in all races this year!

:kick:

[cojoel]

4. no decision by electors goes to the newly elected House

We definitely would need to win there too.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi cojoel!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

5. That's so wrong that it's difficult to know where to begin.

The following states (and the District of Columbia) have so-called "faithless elector" laws, putatively requiring an elector to cast his or her vote in accordance with the outcome of his or her particular state. But there is nothing in either the U.S. Constitution or in the U.S. Code addressing this matter, and most constitutional scholars are of the opinion that, notwithstanding any penalty that might be leveled against a faithless elector who violated a particular state law, the vote cast by the faithless elector would indeed "count," assuming that everything else were in order.

Alabama (Code of Ala. §17-19-2)
Alaska (Alaska Stat. §15.30.090)
California (Election Code §6906)
Colorado (CRS §1-4-304)
Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. §9-176)
Delaware (15 Del C §4303)
District of Columbia (§1-1312(g))
Florida (Fla. Stat. §103.021(1))
Hawaii (HRS §14-28)
Maine (21-A MRS §805)
Maryland (Md Ann Code art 33, §8-505)
Massachusetts (MGL, ch. 53, §8)
Michigan (MCL §168.47)
Mississippi (Miss Code Ann §23-15-785)
Montana (MCA §13-25-104)
Nebraska (§32-714)
Nevada (NRS §298.050)
New Mexico (NM Stat Ann §1-15-9)
North Carolina (NC Gen Stat §163-212)
Ohio (ORC Ann §3505.40)
Oklahoma (26 Okl St §10-102)
Oregon (ORS §248.355)
South Carolina (SC Code Ann §7-19-80)
Tennessee (Tenn Code Ann §2-15-104(c))
Utah (Utah Code Ann §20A-13-304)
Vermont (17 VSA §2732)
Virginia (§24.2-203)
Washington (RCW §29.71.020)
Wisconsin (Wis Stat §7.75)
Wyoming (Wyo Stat §22-19-108)

The other states have no laws addressing the matter at all.

[Hand]

6. Yes, and...

There's already one "faithless elector" on record in WVA--a Repub who sez that if Chimpy carries the state, he won't vote for him in the electoral college.

Some of his colleagues say they're trying to "talk to him..." so he should probably avoid small planes and keep an eye out for a horse's head in his bed...

:grr:

[Bill McBlueState]

8. that would be incredible

That elector would be a hero (and in a lot of danger) if his or her vote gave a tied election to Kerry. But hopefully it won't come that close.

[Bill McBlueState]

7. welcome to DU!

And thanks for a sensible and, as far as I can tell, correct answer to the original question.

Have you read "Why the Electoral College is Bad for America"? It's sort of a dry read, but it covers all these angles in immense detail. The author is George C. Edwards III.

[MissMarple]

9. Thanks guys. Let's hope there are more "faithless" electors.

The case of an elector voting for Kerry instead of George is staying faithful to our democratic ideals. IMHO.

Welcome to DU, MousePlayingDaffodil.