Can we all sign a letter to Ohio's electors asking them to vote Kerry?

[Vote4Kerry]

If I am not mistaken, doesn't each state have a representative cast electoral votes for President? Is it not possible that we could all get a petition going or sign a letter to these representatives asking them not to cast ballots for Bush on the basis of fraud? (I hope it is not Ken Blackwell who gets to cast the electoral college vote in OH or we will never ever win that state!)

[Catamount]

1. It's a nice thought

but these people are scum of the earth, and they would never even consider allowing Kerry to win.

[President Kerry]

2. and if they do, they'll probably get death threats..

or at the very least their careers will be over.

[New Earth]

3. nice name :)

[President Kerry]

4. thank you :)

[The Doctor.]

5. Yes, it is possible...

But the electors rarely ever abstain and have never cast for the opposing candidate to my knowledge.

http://www.fec.gov/pages/ecmenu2.htm

[Yupster]

6. In Texas, the electors are

chosen by congressional committee at the state party conventions. In 2000, my elector was Don Evans, the guy who introduced Laura and George and the now resigned Commerce Secretary.

These are not just your average everyday voter so good luck.

[unblock]

7. the electors are a slate chosen by the party

when you vote for your presidential candidate, you're actually voting for the slate of electors chosen by that presidential candidate to represent that state in the electoral college.

since an elector has only one task, namely, to cast a ballot in the electoral college for president/vice-president, each candidate choses his slate of electors based on ONE sole criteria: how likely that person is to actually vote for the candidate's ticket in the electoral college.

so we're talking about the most loyal and fanatical members of the campaign and other ardent supporters. these are pretty much the last people on the planet you'd be able to convince. you might get a token abstention, or convince someone to vote for a third party candidate, but never the opposing candidate and CERTAINLY not enough to change the outcome.

nice thought though.

[burn the bush]

8. why don't we write to all the electors in every state

maybe just maybe some of them know whats going on and will have the balls....ahhhhnevermind

[Garbo 2004]

9. A 2000 article on "faithless electors" may be informational.

http://www.issues2000.org/askme/Faithless_Electors.htm

But as noted by others here, the electors typically are party diehards and the few defections that have happened in the past have not changed the outcome of an election.

[ozymandius]

10. State law mandates that electors comply with the popular vote.

Though there is no punishment listed for defecting. The electors are chosen among the most faithful of the party. To become an elector is considered a reward for extraordinarily faithful service to one political party.