The DIRTY word NO GOP convention wants you to know about, but YOU WANT TO KNOW: Becoming an ELECTOR
Submitted by joeinmo on Thu, 03/15/2012 - 07:45Originally Published February 20, 2012
I hope everyone here realizes that you don't vote for the President when it comes down to the general election. Democrat vs Republican vs Third Party
Your State Electors vote for the President and they are NOT bound to party. You vote in hopes your elector votes the way you and your state voted. So if the popular vote was won by Gore, you hope the electors follow. These are called electoral votes, and electors are decided at district and state party conventions.
So let's say Romney wins the Republican nomination and then in the General election in November the states vote and Romney wins, guess what you can do a few things as an elector, vote for Romney, Vote for Obama even though he lost, or vote for Paul or yourself if you want.
Yes, control the electors and you control who is President. The party cannot screw around with electors, it's federal law.
The party establishment folks will fight like hell to get their people voted in as the electors, they try to make it a fast vote.
Every Paul delegate to a congressional district convention and state convention must be an elector.
The number of electors per state is directly connected to the population of that state.
Usually they try to get party bigwigs voted in as electors, but in general I don't think they can be a government employee elected or otherwise- so no Senators, Governors etc.
All electors will meet at the Electoral College where they decide who will be President.
UPDATE: Looks like there are some states were you can be bound to the popular vote winner, but many do not, also some of the penalties are small, like $100- that's cheap money to vote Paul.
info below
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/l...
What about this?
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/2012-elections/nov-general/p...
Ironically, real journalism would reveal to American citizens that broadcast news has become a racket.
Good idea, but won't work in all states.
24 of the 50 states have laws on the books to punish electors who don't vote for the candidate they're pledged to. In those states, electors must pledge to vote for the winner of the popular vote in the state, and can be removed from their position as elector if they refuse to pledge. The Constitutionality of this was upheld in Ray v. Blair. In Michigan, faithless electors are not only punished, but their votes are voided. Electoral colleges are governed by state law, not federal law.
In addition, an absolute majority of electoral votes is needed to win (at least 270). If the Paul electors gave Paul a plurality of the electoral votes, but not an absolute majority, the contingency process goes to the Senate, who would almost certainly elect whatever candidate belonged to the majority party - in this case, Obama.
Finally, electors are chosen by the political parties. So electors for the Republicans are highly likely to be the state GOP establishment, and for the Democrats to be the state DNC establishment. In both cases, the parties will likely only select people with a long history of party loyalty.
no they can abstain just like delegates
no not all states choose electors via political insiders, most choose at congressional district conventions.
The contigency procedure works like this:
If no presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, the 12th Amendment to the Constitution provides for the presidential election to be decided by the House of Representatives. The House would select the President by majority vote, choosing from the three candidates who received the greatest number of electoral votes. The vote would be taken by State, with each State delegation having one vote. If no Vice Presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, the Senate would select the Vice President by majority vote, with each Senator choosing from the two candidates who received the greatest number of electoral votes.
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/p...
So it's possible to end up with a President and vice President from different parties.
I'm sorry to tell you nrose,
I'm sorry to tell you nrose, but you are pushing BS; I don't know if you're a troll or not, but what you are saying is BS and that is for certain.
"Twenty-four states have laws to punish faithless electors.[1] While no faithless elector has ever been punished, the constitutionality of state pledge laws was brought before the Supreme Court in 1952 (Ray v. Blair, 343 U.S. 214). The court ruled in favor of the state's right to require electors to pledge to vote for the candidate to whom they are pledged, as well as to remove electors who refuse to pledge. Once the elector has voted, their vote can only be changed in states such as "Michigan" and "Minnesota", where votes other than those pledged are rendered invalid. However, in all twenty-four states, a faithless elector may only be punished after he or she votes."
So you see nrose, not only have no faithless electors ever been punished but their votes cannot be reversed except in Michigan and Minnesota. So please quite spreading santorum.
Here
Exactly Philosopher
For example, there was a Gore elector that refused to vote for him, and she was from a state that could punish, nothing ever happened, not even a peep.
Also the Supreme Court has never taken up the issue of an elector pledge. Just refuse to pledge and you break no faithless elector rules in those 24 states.
"The court ruled in favor of
"The court ruled in favor of the state's right to require electors to pledge to vote for the candidate to whom they are pledged, *as well as to remove electors who refuse to pledge.*"
As for the Gore faithless elector, it wouldn't have swayed the election, so I'm betting that DC just let it slide based on that. But if Paul supporters do it en masse? Paul is already the anti-establishment candidate, do you really think they'd let electors actually affecting the election go unpunished?
All I said was that there were laws on the books. Just because they haven't been enforced before doesn't mean they can't be.
True, and I pointed that out in other comments but...
that has never happened and there have been many electors that have voted for others over history, and you don't have to vote - you can abstain as an elector.
On the last point, you are WRONG electors are not chosen by political parties, electors are chosen by the delegates at state and congressional conventions.
I know I have voted for electors before.
In 2008, In Kansas City, Ron Paul WON the congressional district, the establishment stormed out. Finally 30-60 days later the establishment said fine, keep your DELEGATES ALL WE WANT IS THE ELECTOR.
Please, maker sure you understand the process before you comment.
US Electors, US Senators and US Representative ALL have to be "elected" in some manor. They cannot be appointed, its against Federal Law.
The method for choosing electors varies by state.
The Constitution doesn't say anything about how electors have to be chosen, only that there have to be electors. Not all states leave it to the political parties, but some do. See here: http://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/electoral-...
This is good. We must take
This is good. We must take the process, break it down and simplify it the best we can. Videos need to be made explaining in detail how this is done on a state-by-state basis. Start off by making text guides for each state (do not rely on people to just call their secretary of state or go digging through the often poorly designed state election websites), and then follow up with video versions of those guides with easy to understand graphics, etc.
The third link on the URL above.
How does the Electoral College process work in my State?
For information on the electoral process in your State, you may wish to contact the Secretary of State of your State.
For example, the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a web page devoted to the electoral college: All About the Electoral College in Massachusetts.
To find your Secretary of State, go to the web site for the National Association of Secretaries of State: http://www.nass.org.
Ron Paul is My President
Great idea
So how do you become an elector?
"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." -Thomas Jefferson
My blog: http://anna4ronpaul.wordpress.com/
Wow lots of confusion reading
Wow lots of confusion reading the comments. Can we get a state by state game plan from someone in the know? If we can predict the turnout of the RNC and make this our main goal, find their loopholes now, we can have an amazing strategy for a win. We all know paul isn't going to get the popular vote, as well as a delegate majority for the republicans. This is why I think the main goal of this movement should be to infiltrate GOP positions on all levels. As chairman, board members, secretary, treasury... it isn't fair to call this a hijacking, they hijacked our constitution! They hijacked peoples liberty, peoples lives! You don't get away with something like that. In fact this may be a game to them, a power struggle, or just the money... whatever revolution they got coming for them is going to be too good on them.
Each State has a Call To Convention
In the Call to Convention, somewhere if your state elects "electors" during a party convention it will have to be written in the call to to convention.
In some other states, you run for the elector spot on the ballot. Most are during the State Conventions.
Its meant to be secretive, that way only those on the inside know about it.
NOTE: If your state party does not have a method of selecting "Electors" in their call to convention, then go to your state law and search for the term "elector or Presidential elector", there may be a method of selecting the positions of elector through the traditional ballot process like US Senator, US House.
This is one of the reasons...
why I am grateful to be a part of such a cool and smart community.
Now THAT is using your noodle (brain).
Thanks for the post!
Anyone familiar with how the
Anyone familiar with how the process works in New York? I tried searching the Department of State's website, but not having any luck.
ROFL! "Hey, for just two low
ROFL! "Hey, for just two low payments of $49.99, you can overrule your entire state's votes!"
They are annointed in Idaho
This is one of the things I objected to in 2008. We went through all the hoopla of attending Conventions where, in the end, nothing we did mattered. We made fabulous changes to the state party platform, that had no impact at all on anything. And after all the scheming and dreaming and getting delegates for Ron Paul, when it came time to pick electors there was no input at all. There was some process that played out, but it was obvious that everyone already knew who was going.
If we had the numbers to fully overtake the party, we would have. I honestly believe that the change from caucus to primary was done to ensure there was no repeat of the 2008 "embarrassment" to the GOP. If you can actually take the seats of power in your state, by all means, DO IT. Idaho is no where near that point.
Whatever else I said a minute ago, the last word I want to get in is
LOVE!
No they are elected - here is the law
They were elected in 2008, for this Presidential year. So you can be elected in 2012 during the Nov. Presidential election for 2016. See below:
34-606. SELECTION OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS. (1) At the general election,
13 2008, and every four (4) years thereafter, there shall be elected such a
14 number of electors of president and vice president of the United States as the
15 state may be entitled to in the electoral college. For each presidential and
16 vice-presidential ticket, one (1) presidential elector shall be designated
17 from each congressional district, and two (2) presidential electors shall be
18 chosen at large.
It's about finding
out where the "choosing/electing" of the electors is supposed to take place. Contact your state Republican attorney and direct questions to him/her. This is the person who, if there is to be any believe in someone who has a chance of integrity, this is who it will be.
The last thing this attorney wants is to put themselves in a spot based on not telling the truth concerning the party's rules and election law.
I asked mine about the rules and found his answers proved I had witnessed vote fraud with the party officers of my town.
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How is it in Arizona?
Very curious to learn the laws.
This all points to the fact we must BECOME the GOP (and DNC) party "officials". We MUST take positions of power.
http://www.dailypaul.com/217383/go-libertarian-or-go-freedom...
Treg
Invest in Liberty, one Apartment deal at a time with me. Get a check each month as a passive investor, just ask me how.
The Death of Our REPUBLIC
I've been trying to get people to see this; National Popular Vote. They are trying to turn our Republic into a Democracy, by doing an end-run around the Constitution. If it passes in enough States it binds the electors to the popular vote.
http://www.dailypaul.com/220792/patriots-the-united-states-a...
Here is how they vote for electors in Texas
State Convention, Congressional Caucus (Presidential Years)
In Presidential years, delegates to the state convention also meet by congressional caucus. In this caucus, they elect delegates and alternates to the national convention and elect a member to sit on the National Nominations Committee, which selects at-large delegates to the national convention. They also elect Presidential Electors and nominate candidates for National Committeeman and Committeewoman.
http://www.texasgop.org/about-rpt-conventions
They aren't actually selecting the final Electors.
They are selecting candidates for Elector.
Each party files a slate of candidates for Elector.
Whichever ticket receives the most votes in Texas, the slate pledged and filed to support them is actually Elected.
They then cast their votes in December.
Please get it straight folks.
There are TWO processes here:
1.Selecting CANDIDATES for Elector from each party
2.Electing the Electors (Nov 6th)
"Democracy" Halfway through America: National Popular Vote
Guys I just found this; the Electoral College idea might not work.
National Popular Vote
he National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the entire United States. The bill preserves the Electoral College, while ensuring that every vote in every state will matter in every presidential election. The National Popular Vote law has been enacted by states possessing 132 electoral votes — 49% of the 270 electoral votes needed to activate it.
Check this out. These people are half way to establishing Democracy in these United States. This must be stopped!!!
They won't get anywhere near it in time for Nov 6th,
and there would be challenges out the wazoo based on needing Congressional approval for an Interstate Compact. (which they don't have yet and they won't get since the GOP controls the House)
NPV will only entrench Democrats in the White House. This math has already been done. GOP members in the House and Senate will treat any approval for this compact as DOA.
As well, the GOP controls more State legislatures than needed to keep this at bay. (at least for now)
It has already passed in 9
It has already passed in 9 States it has 49% of the electoral votes needed to enact, and it has received wide spread bi-partisan support. This may not pass by Nov. 6, but they have been getting this passed and introduced in each of the States for quite some time. They will just continue and when they finally clinch the 270 electoral votes needed, we will no longer have a Republic but a Democracy.
Check it out: http://nationalpopularvote.com/
You paid absolutely no attention to or addressed anything I
wrote, save some vague reference to "bi-partisan" support.
The reality is that GOP controlled legislatures are currently holding this up or have defeated it several times. The GOP controlled House is not likely to approve an Interstate Compact that would guarantee Democratic Presidents as far as the eye can see into the future. And the Senate, not being fillabuster proof, is unlikely to take up such contentious approval either.
The Dems would have to take back over Congress first, AND take control of the needed state legislatures. We are a long way from that.
In the meantime, there could certainly be a move to thwart this and appease its proponents all at the same time: pass a revised Article the First which caps House districts, then require all Electors be chosen by Congressional District and only 2 at-large. It achieves better parity with the popular vote, but still doesn't put it in Democracy's hands. Such a move would silence the EC critics and the NPV proponents and this plan will die quietly.
On top of that, we get a more accountable House and a sensible EC where "battleground states" are a thing of the past.
The U.S. Constitution leaves
The U.S. Constitution leaves the entire elector process up to the States; the Constitution only states that there are electors. If the States decide to tie their electoral college vote to the National Popular Vote, then that is their decision. None of this has anything to do with the Federal Government, since the matter of electors is left entirely up to the States to decide the rules they place on the electors of their particular States; therefor your first four sentences do not apply.
Your solution will not satisfy the NPV people, for the simple fact that it would make it harder to steal an election. As it stands right now they have to steal the popular vote in a number of States, but if they get their way, they would only have to focus on manipulating the votes in the major population centers; which is easier to do, since there are so many people who live there.
The Feds are involved because the NPV people screwed up and
tried to do this via Interstate Compact. Per the Constitution, Congress has to approve such agreements. Had they just lobbied to have each state change independently, without any reliance on the others, then you'd have a point.
The Supreme Court has already created a precedent for this. They have ruled that although the Constitution gives full authority over the manner of choosing their Electors, the legislature of a State cannot exceed the authority of their own State Constitution in doing so. This was in a case where a State Constitution prevented something the legislature wanted to do concerning Electors.
So the precedent for some provisions perhaps mitigating their power to less than 100% is there and WILL be used if this becomes an issue.
Now, concerning my solution, true, it may not satisfy the conspirators behind it, but it will address the concerns of the regular joes who are advocating it. It will defuse the pressure on state legislators to pass NPV. And that's all that's needed.
At the least, it will expose the conspirators for their true motives. Because this addresses the PUBLIC reasons they advocate the NPV. With this counter reform out there, they'd have a hard time maintaining support without exposing themselves as someone trying to steal elections.