Florida’s Slate of Electors

The Dec. 7 Commentary page contained two articles, by Erwin Chemerinsky and by Lincoln Chayes and Antonia Chayes, suggesting that Florida’s electoral votes be divided between Al Gore and George W. Bush. Such a change of the rules is inappropriate in that it would predetermine that Gore would be the next president. A better solution would be for Florida’s presidential electors to be cast “uncommitted,” thereby placing the selection of the president before the House of Representatives.

One might argue that such a solution also predetermines the winner, given that Republicans control a majority of House delegations and would probably select Bush. However, this solution is more legitimate because it would place the final determination of the president in the hands of a body that is accountable to the entire nation.

Under this scenario, some vice presidential electors could be cast for Gore to allow the Senate to select him, thereby enforcing the bipartisan compromising that will be essential after this virtually tied election.

If Florida’s vote is statistically a tossup, then Florida should not be allowed to determine who the president will be. This is precisely the situation in which the Constitution’s contingent procedure should be invoked.

MATTHEW SHUGART

Carlsbad

* If this current election has taught us anything, it’s that our democracy is sloppy. When you add up special-interest influence (and useless attempts at reform), term limit issues, local election discretion (which we see in Florida), loose state laws (Florida again), the electoral college (anachronistic at best) and yet-to-come apportionment (there’s no reason the House cannot increase in size from 435 members), redistricting (which will be a huge conflict)--this country’s democracy is embarrassing! Our democracy needs a constitutional convention. CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMSON

Los Angeles

* In the interest of fair play and “those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” I firmly believe that if the entire election process of any of the other 49 states were subjected to the same detailed, microscopic inspection and exposure as is that of Florida’s, most of them would, on the average, fare little better.

LEONARD McGINNIS

Granada Hills

* If nothing else, this presidential election has proved that the electoral college was set up by wealthy white men so they could elect the president, no matter what the general population wanted. We have an opportunity to change the electoral college so that California joins Maine and Nebraska by doling out its electoral college votes to the winner in each congressional district. If all states used this system, Gore would now be president-elect. California has led the way in many areas. Why not this one?

It is very distressful to read that Democrats may be categorically against this bill. One of the consequences of this election should be more cooperation and a spirit of conciliation. Because Democrats are in power in California, it seems to me a wonderful opportunity for us to show compassion and faith in what our democracy stands for.

ANNE SMITH

Berkeley

* What is most disheartening to me during this difficult time isn’t that we haven’t been able to figure out who should be the next president, but how mean-spirited some of us are. We owe it to ourselves and the country as a whole to do our best to figure out who won this election according to the rules. We may believe strongly that one candidate would make a better president than the other; but, regardless of our personal opinions, why can’t we communicate with each other and conduct ourselves with dignity and respect toward others, including those with whom we disagree?

People who exaggerate and distort the issues and the facts in a mean-spirited way are doing this country a disservice.

DIANNE SAFFORD

Port Hueneme

* It’s clear now that first priority of the budget surplus should be to provide a reliable method of counting and authenticating all votes throughout the country. With one poor, mostly black area in Florida showing a discard rate of one ballot in five, and a rich area discarding one in 14, we should start with the oldest machines first.

WAYNE C. IRWIN

Northridge