The Associated Press was on hand when West Virginia's five electors met at the state Capitol to cast their electoral college votes for John McCain and Sarah Palin.
"The Republican ticket carried West Virginia with more than 55 percent of the vote. But Democrats Barack Obama and Joe Biden won the White House race in a 365-vote Electoral College landslide," the article said.
AP also explains that "each state has electors equal to its number of representatives and senators. West Virginia's electors, chosen by its GOP, are Robert Fish of Parkersburg, Zane Lawhorn of Princeton, Catherine McKinney of Bridgeport, Marti Riggall of Charleston and Theresa Waxman of Clarksburg."
MetroNews also covered the electoral vote, and has audio of Fish.
16 December 2008
West Virginia Casts Its Five Electoral Votes for McCain
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The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).
Every vote would be politically relevant and equal in presidential elections.
The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral votes—that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).
The bill is currently endorsed by 1,246 state legislators — 460 sponsors (in 47 states) and an additional 786 legislators who have cast recorded votes in favor of the bill.
The National Popular Vote bill has passed 22 state legislative chambers, including one house in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Washington, and both houses in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The bill has been enacted by Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland. These four states possess 50 electoral votes — 19% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect.
See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com
The bill would also guarantee that the candidates would spend their time and money in cities and heavily populated areas where they could reach the most people with the fewest dollars. West Virginia would go from being a sometimes "battleground state" with occasional visits by campaigns to a fly-over zone which may never again see a presidential canditate or anyone from the campaign.
"The bill would also guarantee that the candidates would spend their time and money in cities and heavily populated areas where they could reach the most people with the fewest dollars."
As opposed to the current system, where the largest states with the most citizens - like California and Texas - never see presidential candidates. And that's fair because. . . . ?
In case you haven't noticed, "Anonymous," this blog originates in West Virginia. If I wanted California to decide presidential elections, I'd be in favor of your idea.
Well, "Clear Eyes," clearly you're unfamiliar with the concept of a majoritarian democracy. Incidentally, even if the appalling 18th century anachronism that is the Electoral College is retained, it's not going to help West Virginia's bid to influence future presidential elections. The state is now reliably Republican, just as it used to be reliably Democrat: both parties acknowledged that and spent almost no time or money here. 2000 and 2004 were flukes. But I'm glad that you are so proudly opposed to the concept of "one person, one vote"; most people cloak their support for the Electoral College with vague platitudes, but you have the courage or lack of savvy to trumpet your wish to disenfranchise most of your fellow citizens. Bravo.
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