Electing the President: An Elector’s Experience

Bob Handy has accomplished many things in his life. He became an active advocate for Veterans’ rights after a career in the Navy that included both the Korean and Vietnam wars. Compared to these things, casting his vote as one of California’s representatives to the Electoral College in 2008 seemed routine; it was all very organized and mechanical. After speaking at Anacapa’s Breakfast Club, however, Bob realized that, as he put it, he is a “pretty significant old fart.” While each Electoral College appointee pledges to vote for the candidate that wins the popular vote, Bob explained the system and how the appointees are not legally bound by the pledge. In fact, appointees have been known, in extreme circumstances, to abstain from voting in protest!