Posted on 09/08/2004 11:01:55 AM PDT by Bonaventure
South Charleston Mayor Richie Robb said today he may vote against George W. Bush in the Electoral College, even if the president carries West Virginia's popular vote.
Robb, long known as a maverick Republican, said he is considering using his position as one of the state's five Republican electors to protest what he believes are misguided policies of the current administration.
"It's not likely that I would vote for Kerry," Robb said. "But I'm looking at what my options are when it comes time to cast my vote."
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...
When you lay with RINOs, you get screwed...
My aunt lives in South Charleston and says she can't stand that RINO bastard.
There is nothing that can be done legally to prevent an elector from voting their conscience -- it is constitutionally protected. Some of the states have legislation, I think, that attempt to guarantee the elector's decision but I don't think the legislation has ever been tested.
To the best of my knowledge, the best way to protect against "faithless electors" is to do what the parties have done since the beginning -- nominate only the fiercest partisans as electors.
Most 269-269 tie scenarios have WV going to Jaques Kerry.
List of Electors Bound by State Law and Pledges, As of November 2000
No Legal Requirement. Electors in these States are not bound by State Law to cast their vote for a specific candidate:
WEST VIRGINIA - 5 Electoral Votes
It wouldn't be the first time that a state elector went "renegade" and failed to vote for the party's nominee. In 2000, this would have been a disaster. This year, I don't think it's going to be that close.
BAYOUROD RESPONDED: "Totally irresponsible on the part of the W. Virginia Republican Party. I was involved on selecting electors for several elections and the most important consideration was loyalty to the candidate."
BAYOUROD ADDED: "A person could buy a delegate spot to the national convention but elector positions were not for sale at any price."
I agree. If the W. VA Republican actually did select Electors from the "top five runners-up from their gubernatorial primary," it really was irresponsible---and utterly stupid!
RATS often pretend to be Republicans, and run as Republicans. The only way they can get elected is if they fool the public into thinking they are Republicans.
As far as being able to "buy a delegate spot to the national convention," I have not heard of that, except to say that I understand you could donate money and go to the National Convention, but it would only be as an observer, not as a Delegate. I understand the Candidate, however, can choose people from each state to go (which I would think would be based purely on past loyalty and/or contributions).
As far as Electors are concerned, they are elected at the State Convention during the U.S. Congressional District Caucuses.
On 05 June 2004, my 23rd wedding anniversary and the day that Reagan died, I was elected to follow in my father's 52-year-old-Elector-legacy footsteps, becomming the Elector for my U.S. Congressional District. My father was a 1952 Eisenhower Elector, representing the same approximate area.
Although I was elected unanimously, I worked very hard to secure the votes I needed so that I could overcome the competition and make my dream become a reality.
----Yes Pete, it is interesting that the same people who spoke about the genius of the Electoral College system when Bush won in 2000 while losing the popular vote will now go into hysterics if an Elector does not vote the same way as his state.----And who is the other Republican they like to call a "maverick" when he comes out against the President? ............
I would not bet the farm on it.
In fact, I would bet that he does indeed vote for John Kerry.
Making a long story short, there are a few likely scenarios (all iinvolving W.VA.)where we could wind up with a 269-269 tie in the electoral college-in which case it goes to congress where Dubya wins. I's hate to see it come down to this guy's vote.
Ping
Hang on! Read the rest of my posts. My only point was that Constitutionally the Electors are not Bound to vote for the same person or party that their constituents voted for.
Yup. Youre exactly right. That is the way it works. It would be highly unorthodox for an electoral college member to go against the voice of his state. Back in the late 18th or early 19th century that would probably end up with him wearing tar and feathers if not a piece of hemp rope.
Someone make him an offer. This dude is for sale.
My thoughts exactly.
I am Lothar...OF THE HILL PEOPLE! I no like this recreant elector. I club him with big branch. He fall. So sez Lothar...OF THE HILL PEOPLE!
He is making noise now while it is safe. He would never make the protest vote, whether it mattered or not. It would be a career ender.
Yes. The Founding Fathers did not completely trust the electorate.
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