Can you be absolutely certain, in an election in which the popular vote leader has less electors "pledged" to him, that every elector will be faithful? It would only take 3 people to vote for Gore to change the result.

Sure we have heard Al say he does not want those votes, should they turn. But what WOULD he do if this is what happens? I will stop short of a prediction(after all, it appears my crystal ball has been a bit rusty), but I just have this eerie feeling that this strange election is going to end up even stranger.

In 26 states changing ones vote has penalties-but in 24 states this is not the case. It could happen. Will it?

-- SydBarrett (dark@side.moon), December 07, 2000

Answers

Point of reference-historically, 9 electors have changed their votes in presidential elections, the most recent in 1988. None of these differently cast votes changed the election. But I say again, can you be sure?

http://209.52.189.2/article.cfm/4996/49451

-- SydBarrett (dark@side.moon), December 07, 2000.

What is the going price for an electoral vote?

-- Lars (lars@indy.net), December 07, 2000.

How do they pick electors anyway? I mean beyond which party's electors vote in December. I would bet that the people who get to be electors have a long history of party loyalty.

-- Alice in Wonder Bra (alice@wonder.bra), December 07, 2000.

The electors are chosen by the Senators and Representatives of one's state. If I remember correctly what I watched of the proceedings to decide whether Florida would select electors beyond those selected prior to the election, all the Democrats in Florida said they wouldn't attend the special session.

The problem [as I see it] is that if the folks meeting in Florida decide to establish THEIR final electors for this election year, and ignore the vote in so doing, OTHER states will follow this precedent, essentially eliminating the need for a general election at all.

The Power of the States

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), December 08, 2000.

When I voted, under the name of the presidential candidates was a list of electors. The names were all very familiar to me- the Govenor, the mayor of Atlanta (I live in Georgia), some state senators, other well-known party advisors and activists. I can't imagine someone who's so involved in the party that s/he holds a state office would switch their electoral vote lightly.

-- Tarzan the Ape Man (tarzan@swingingthroughthejunglewithouta.net), December 08, 2000.

Come now, Anita, your logic is usually must better than this. Should legal wrangling prevent Florida from providing any electors to the electoral college? The legislature has a legitimate concern that the democratic strategy is not only to selectively recount votes, but to possibly sandbag all 25 of Florida's electoral votes. After all, Gore would win the election if Florida had no electors.

As for "ignoring" the vote, by my count there have been two mechanical votes of the Florida election with the same winner twice. Whatever you may think of the process, the election has been certified by the Florida secretary of state.

Now, your statement about other states picking electors and "ignoring" the vote is silly. No state legislature will attempt to preempt a certified election result.

-- Ken Decker (kcdecker@att.net), December 08, 2000.