Electoral Defection.

November 10, 2000 2:01 AM

Electoral Defection. Let's say Bush wins Florida after the recount and other machinations. What if the electors meeting December 18 decide that they should forgo their state loyalty and abide by the nationwide popular vote? Also: Alabama's curious process in which, until 1976, voters actually voted for electors, not candidates, resulting in defections in 1960.
posted by Mo Nickels (6 comments total)

In the state of Florida, the electors are *not* bound by state law to vote for the expected candidate. I'm told they have to sign an 'oath', but I'm not sure that that is legally binding...

and given the way this election's going, if an elector was going to go off the patch, this would be the year...

BTW: you're voting for the electors here, too; go look at that Palm Beach ballot again...
posted by baylink at 6:30 AM on November 10, 2000

Just remember that most electors are hand picked by the party that won, so chances of defection are rare.
posted by alan at 6:41 AM on November 10, 2000

Is it illegal to bribe an elector to change their vote? Loyalty is one thing, a million bucks is another. Corzine in NJ spent $60 million just to get a Senate seat, maybe he can kick in a few for the president... :)
posted by smackfu at 6:45 AM on November 10, 2000

of course it is.
posted by palegirl at 8:32 AM on November 10, 2000

Those laws aren't so much "quirky" as they are "unreformed". Technically, everybody votes for electors, but only some states still show them on the ballot.

This election, I'd be more concerned about electoral slates being challenged or invalidated at the state OR federal level. It's happened before.
posted by dhartung at 10:15 AM on November 10, 2000

i heard on the radio that, in new mexico, it's a fourth degree felony if an elector doesn't vote for the person who carried the state.
posted by sugarfish at 10:36 AM on November 10, 2000