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View Full Version : Electoral College protest votes for Ron Paul



Zavoi
02-11-2008, 10:12 PM
Would they help at all, if he's not a candidate in the general election?
Banana
02-11-2008, 10:24 PM
Assuming that it is even possible, that would only serve to piss off everyone; it's one thing if the race was close, but to vote in someone not even running would be anything but moral and ethical. I don't think even Ron would support this.

Not to mention the problem that goes against the message itself; we want to return power back to people, and it just can't be done by having a elect group deciding to do so. That would be analogous to spreading peace through war.
Bradley in DC
02-11-2008, 10:32 PM
Assuming that it is even possible...

They are called "faithless electors." It's historically not uncommon.
nate895
02-11-2008, 10:40 PM
I had a thread about this earlier. 24 states don't force their electors to vote for the winner, if they're in states with enough electors, I propose we infiltrate. If some are in liberal states, register Democrat, and pretend to have Obama mania until you get to the state convention where they elect the electors, where you'd know who the real Ron Paul supporters are and vote for them to be electors.

It's a Machiavellian plot, but if it's for liberty, who cares?
theseus51
02-11-2008, 10:43 PM
Well, electors are way harder than being delegates to the convention. They aren't voted on, they are handpicked by the parties, for years and years of loyal service. You definitely cannot become an elector without being a major party insider over many years.
Banana
02-11-2008, 10:46 PM
They are called "faithless electors." It's historically not uncommon.

Cool- in those incidents, have an election been overturned?

EDIT: (I missed the article in my first reading, but Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector) says no faithless electors has ever changed the overall results)

As I said earlier, close race is one thing, but to vote for someone who's not even on ballot... Just not right.
nate895
02-11-2008, 10:49 PM
Well, electors are way harder than being delegates to the convention. They aren't voted on, they are handpicked by the parties, for years and years of loyal service. You definitely cannot become an elector without being a major party insider over many years.

Most state parties choose them at the state convention.