Here's the Electoral nightmare

B

Byron

New member
In half the states, electors can vote their conscience. Even in the other half, I don't believe that there is any way to force an elector to vote according to the popular vote outcome in the state they represent. You could fine them or put them in jail, but their vote would still stand.

If Bush ends up with 271 electoral votes, it would only take two renegade electors to put him below the 270 needed to become President.
Then what?
 
Has an Elector vote ever been divided in one state? Or is it required to give the entire vote of that state's electorate to just one candidate?

------------------
John/az
"When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!

www.cphv.COM & www.handguncontrol.NET are being sued by Handgun Control, Inc.!

See the "cease and desist" letter here: www.cphv.com/lawsuit.html

[This message has been edited by John/az2 (edited November 08, 2000).]
 
No elector has ever (EVER) gone against the popular vote in his state. It's just never happened, even though it could.

I'd prefer not to think about what the result of such an action would be...

Later,
Chris

------------------
"TV what do I see, tell me who to believe, what's the use of autonomy when a button does it all??" - Incubus, Idiot Box
 
Two states devide their electors in proportion to the popular vote.

Long night, longer days to come.

Our work is yet undone.

Sam
 
One of the talking heads said that there was a renegade elector when Dukakis was the Democrat candidate. I don't know if that's true, but the margin in that case was so huge it had no impact on the outcome.
 
Christopher II, not exactly. These are the recent faithless electors that I can find:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Richard Nixon, 1968: elector from Virginia abandoned Nixon for American Independent candidate George Wallace

<LI>Richard Nixon, 1972: elector from Virginia abandoned Nixon for Libertarian candidate John Hospers, his only electoral vote

<LI>Jimmy Carter, 1976: elector from Washington abandoned Republican Gerald Ford for Republican candidate Ronald Reagan, his only electoral vote

<LI>Michael Dukakis, 1976: elector from West Virginia abandoned Dukakis for Democratic candidate Lloyd Bentsen, his only electoral vote </UL>

If two or more faithless electors (happens enough times for there to be a name for it) throw their Bush votes to anybody else, then the new House of Representatives will vote on the President in January, it will be required as their first duty.

So, if no candidate gets the required 270 votes -- for whatever reason -- then the choice of new President of the United States will be up to the Republican House of Representatives.

LawDog

[This message has been edited by LawDog (edited November 08, 2000).]
 
Just remember. Whatever elector changed his vote (it would have to be a republican if they switched from Bush as the electors for each candidate are from that party) would be a pariah within his party. He or she would lose all the contacts and political capital that they'd have to have developed to reach that level. Could one do it? Yes. Could two? Extremely doubtful.
 
LawDog -

You're kidding! :eek:

Were these during the primaries or the secondary election?

This just sucks. So if the DNC tosses each elector a million bucks and a guarentee of immunity from prosecution...

I don't even want to think about this anymore.

Later,
Chris

------------------
"TV what do I see, tell me who to believe, what's the use of autonomy when a button does it all??" - Incubus, Idiot Box

[This message has been edited by Christopher II (edited November 08, 2000).]
 
We also need to keep in mind that Oregon--last time I checked--looks like it will end up going to Bush. That will give him a larger margin to protect against "renegade" electors.

I wonder if the Democraps are now digging up blackmail material on any of the Bush-state electors. It wouldn't surprise me.

[This message has been edited by RMc (edited November 08, 2000).]
 
Oregon will probably give 7 electoral votes to Bush. Vote-switching electors are extremely rare; even 2-3 switched votes wouldn't change the result.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top