Electoral College
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  Presidential Elections - Analysis and Discussion
  Presidential Election Process (Moderator: muon2)
  Electoral College
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Author Topic: Electoral College  (Read 4378 times)
TommyC1776
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« on: June 13, 2004, 09:57:47 AM »

Can someone explain how the electoral college works?  If a candidate wins the popular vote in that state do they win the electoral votes of that state?
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TommyC1776
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« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2004, 10:13:54 AM »

But, aren't there people who are "Electoral College" voters?  So, if the popular vote makes a candidate win the Electoral college then the EV voters can't vote for who they like?
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KEmperor
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« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2004, 10:16:31 AM »

But, aren't there people who are "Electoral College" voters?  So, if the popular vote makes a candidate win the Electoral college then the EV voters can't vote for who they like?

Huh?
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Peter
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« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2004, 10:44:52 AM »

But, aren't there people who are "Electoral College" voters?  So, if the popular vote makes a candidate win the Electoral college then the EV voters can't vote for who they like?

The situation is as following in all states and DC minus NE and ME:

Winner takes all - i.e. if one candidate wins the popular vote in that particular state, he takes all of its electoral votes, the state legislature then appoints this candidates electors (the people who actually vote for President in the electoral college). Some states require their electors by law to vote for the winner of the popular vote, however some do not, although one presumes that they will remain loyal to their candidate as they are usually trusted party figures. In some cases, voters have been known to become "faithless" and have either abstained (as occured with one Gore DC elector in 2000) or have voted for other candidates (one Dukakis elector did so in 1988, as did one Ford elector in 1976, I'm sure there are other examples). I don't know if an elector has flat out voted for the other side, but it is not impossible.
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Fritz
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« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2004, 12:03:37 PM »

Basically when you cast your vote for President, you aren't voting for the candidate, rather you are voting for the slate of electors that has been set up by the party.  As GfP points out, occasionally an elector casts a ballot other than the one he was elected to cast.  I don't believe there has ever been a case where an elector has flat-out voted for the other side.  If that did happen, and it actually made a difference in the election, I'm sure that it would be challenged in Congress, the state's supreme court, the federal supreme court....it would be quite a fireworks display.  However, "faithless" electors have been more interested in making a statement than in making a difference.
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StatesRights
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« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2004, 03:17:30 PM »

If a faithless elector jumped ship on a close election he/she would be lynched from the nearest oak tree.
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StatesRights
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« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2004, 07:10:19 PM »

If a faithless elector jumped ship on a close election he/she would be lynched from the nearest oak tree.


Ah... okay... if you say so, States! I promise I won't be "faithless".

Can you imagine if it was tied 269-269 and someone jumped ship. If it happened in Harrys state or my state their sure would be a lynching. Wink.....................btw, Halfway kidding there.
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Fritz
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« Reply #7 on: June 13, 2004, 07:20:34 PM »
« Edited: June 13, 2004, 07:23:19 PM by Secretary of Labor Fritz »

In an election in the 1800's, someone was elected unanimosly by all the states, however, one elector voted for the opposing canidate so that George Washington would be the only president to win a unanimous victory.

Yes, that was 1820, when James Monroe was unopposed for re-election.  It wasn't actually the "opposing candidate", there really wasn't one.  The vote was cast for John Quincy Adams, who did not actually run for President that year.

I remember in 2000, there was some talk of trying to get a few of the Florida electors to change sides.  It would have taken two to produce a tie, and three to give the election to Gore.  But of course, it didn't happen.  The only faithless elector was from the Gore side, and I'm sure that wouldn't have happened if Gore's loss wasn't inevitable.
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« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2004, 10:25:32 PM »

If a faithless elector jumped ship on a close election he/she would be lynched from the nearest oak tree.


Ah... okay... if you say so, States! I promise I won't be "faithless".

Can you imagine if it was tied 269-269 and someone jumped ship. If it happened in Harrys state or my state their sure would be a lynching. Wink.....................btw, Halfway kidding there.

Smiley , oh I can just see the letters in the Clarion-Ledger if one of our electors voted for Kerry, breaking a 269-269 tie.  Many of those writers are much further to the right than anyone on this forum . . . I can see them calling for the guy to be shot.  It'd be funny, but they elector would definitely be well advised to leave the state Smiley
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StatesRights
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« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2004, 10:29:45 PM »

If a faithless elector jumped ship on a close election he/she would be lynched from the nearest oak tree.


Ah... okay... if you say so, States! I promise I won't be "faithless".

Can you imagine if it was tied 269-269 and someone jumped ship. If it happened in Harrys state or my state their sure would be a lynching. Wink.....................btw, Halfway kidding there.

Smiley , oh I can just see the letters in the Clarion-Ledger if one of our electors voted for Kerry, breaking a 269-269 tie.  Many of those writers are much further to the right than anyone on this forum . . . I can see them calling for the guy to be shot.  It'd be funny, but they elector would definitely be well advised to leave the state Smiley

Henrys' state is the best...to bad Harry is so badly confused.
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