Republican electors are urged to switch

The Floridians are hearing from Gore backers, mostly because of a California student Web site.

By ADAM C. SMITH

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 29, 2000

Florida electors who have pledged to back George W. Bush are receiving reminders from Gore supporters across the country: There's no penalty for changing your vote to Al Gore.

"I'm urging you to cast your vote to reflect the will of the majority of Americans," Robbie Sanchez of Louisiana wrote prominent GOP fundraiser Al Austin of Tampa and other Republican electors across the state.

Stuart lawyer Charles Kane received this plea from Padgett Coventry Price in California: "If the Electoral College contradicts the nation's popular vote, American democracy will face a serious legitimacy crisis. . . . I understand that you are committed to support George W. Bush, but before doing so, you should weigh America's national interest."

The letter and e-mail campaign, apparently generated mainly from a student-run Web site in California, shows no signs of working.

"I took an oath to vote for George W. Bush, and, unlike Bill Clinton, my word is my bond," Kane said.

Though electors in some states are subject to fines if they vote against their party's nominee, Florida law provides no such penalty. But considering that Florida's 25 GOP electors include some of the state's most prominent and loyal Republicans, the likelihood of switched votes seems remote at best.

"No chance," said Maria de la Milera, a Bush campaign coordinator and elector from Miami. "Not after I've spent a year campaigning for George W. Bush."

The names, addresses and some phone numbers of the electors in Florida and other states are posted on the Web site of Citizens for True Democracy, which advocates that direct popular elections replace the Electoral College. Created by two 21-year-old students at Claremont McKenna College in California, the Web site includes a sample letter for people to urge Republican electors to follow the will of the people.

If Bush winds up winning Florida's 25 electoral votes, he will win the White House, though Gore received roughly 300,000 more votes than Bush nationwide.

States must name their Electoral College electors by Dec. 12, and electors meet in state capitals Dec. 18 to select the next president.

Mrs. Price, the letter-writer from California, said she has sent about 25 such letters, mostly in Florida and Arizona, because she passionately believes the candidate who wins the most votes ought to win the White House. A non-practicing lawyer, she has also picketed outside a Los Angeles courthouse.

David Einrich, who co-founded Citizens for Democracy with Matt Grossmann, said their Web site has had about 40,000 hits since Election Day and a received loads of e-mails applauding and attacking them. One voice mail message informed Einrich, "This is a very dangerous time for you and your family," he said.

He said he and Grossman have no particular love of Gore -- they voted for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader and Natural Law Party candidate John Hagelin -- but firmly believe popular will should decide the presidential election. Electors signed their pledges assuming their candidate would win the popular vote, Einrich said, and should now reconsider their obligation.

Bush supporters aren't taking chances with their electors, and have started sending their own letters.

"Yesterday, I got a letter from somebody saying, "Hold your ground, do the right thing for America,' " said Austin of Tampa, a Tampa developer and widely known GOP supporter. "You can safely put me down as not waffling."

Picking electors

The Electoral College works like this: Each state gets a number of electors equal to the number of congressional members it has. In Florida, that number is 25.

By Sept. 1, the governor is required to certify to the Florida Department of State the names of the electors from each party. Florida's electors have signed an oath to vote as they have promised.

By Dec. 12, federal statutes require states to select their electors for the Electoral College.

On Dec. 18, the electors meet in state capitals across the country to select a president.

Who they are

Republican state lawmakers in Florida are talking about appointing their own set of electors, fearing that court challenges will block the selection of the current slate. Without Florida's 25 electoral college votes, Republican George W. Bush would lose.

Florida's presidential electors:

REPUBLICANS: Charles W. Kane, Dorsey C. Miller, Maria De La Milera, Glenda E. Hood, Sandra M. Faulkner, Dawn Guzzetta, H. Gary Morse, Armando Codina, Carole Jean Jordan, Tom Slade, Marsha Nippert, Robert L. Woody, John Thrasher, Mel Martinez, Feliciano M. Foyo, Al Hoffman, Alfred S. Austin, Thomas C. Feeney III, John M. McKay, Cynthia M. Handley, Darryl K. Sharpton, Adam W. Herbert, Berta J. Moralejo, Jeanne Barber Godwin, Deborah L. Brooks.

DEMOCRATS: Clarence Anthony, Jon Ausman, T. Wayne Bailey, Mitchell Berger, Lance Block, Terrie Brady, Bob Butterworth, Buddy Dyer, Juanita Geathers, Diane Glasser, Dalas Guevara, Robert Henriquez, Tony Hill, Daryl Jones, Karl Koch, Chris Korge, Kendrick Meek, Les Miller, George Platt, Bob Poe, Marla Prado, Juanita Scott, Patti Wilson Haney, Paulette Wimberly, Jennette Wynn.

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