Electoral College at Work

I love the electoral college!!

Minnesota elector breaks ranks, votes for Edwards
(Associated Press on Star Tribune)

One of Minnesota’s 10 presidential electors broke from the pack and cast a vote Monday for John Edwards, the Democratic vice presidential running mate for John Kerry.

The other nine Minnesota members of the Electoral College voted for Kerry, who won the state’s popular vote in November.

After the state’s Electoral College ceremony concluded, no one stepped foward as the Edwards voter. Most electors chalked the vote up as a mistake rather than a purposeful political statement.

“I’m sure somebody made a mistake,” said elector Michael Meuers of Bemidji. “I’m certainly glad that the Electoral College is not separated by one vote.”

Republican George W. Bush is due to receive 286 electoral votes; Kerry was slated to get 252, but the Minnesota vote will reduce that total. It takes 270 votes to win the presidency.

(via Blogs for Bush)

The article above has an annoying registration that didn’t kick in the first time I looked at it for whatever reason, so here is the same article on another site that is registration free:

Minnesota elector gives Edwards a vote
(Associated Press on Minnesota Public Radio)

The best part is they didn’t even do it on purpose as a protest like has happened other years. They apperantly did it BY MISTAKE. Because they screwed up filling out the ballot! But it doesn’t matter, guess what, IT COUNTS! Ha Ha Ha!

I love this stuff.

Wouldn’t it have been awesome if the election HAD hung on one electoral vote with an elector for the person who was ahead accidentally doing this? Surprise! The other guy wins!

I guess that West Virginia Bush elector didn’t follow through on not voting for Bush. At least if he did, I haven’t heard about it yet. A little dissapointing. Oh well!