CDR: A strange election scenario.

Trei, Peter ptrei at rsasecurity.com
Wed Nov 8 08:28:25 PST 2000


It looks like Gore has won the popular vote, and
that Florida is more likely to tip to Bush than to
Gore. If this happens, the show is not
necessarily over. 

If Bush wins Florida, and Gore wins Oregon,
the electoral college will stand at Gore 267, 
Bush 271. You'd expect that King George 
the Second would rule. But....

In most states, electoral college
electors are bound by law to cast their
votes in favor of the candidate who won
their state. But not all - in some states
(which ones? I don't know) electors can
legally vote their conscience. A Libertarian
presidential candidate got an electoral vote
a while back in this manner.

If three of these 'unbound' electors are in states
which went to Bush, and decide to 'follow
the mandate of the national popular vote'
they can flip the election.

Interesting times.....

Peter Trei









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