Republicans Miss Deadline for June Ballot “Dirty Tricks” Change in Electoral College—But Are Now Planning on November Ballot Its

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

In what can only be described as bizarre, the Republican drive to change the Electoral College vote in California only has failed by a large margin to get the necessary signatures to make the June 2008 ballot and is now falling back to placing this measure on the November Presidential Election ballot itself.

This now smacks more and more of desperation and futility. Desperate because the Republicans know they cannot win in California and will have a difficult time winning the Presidency without changing the rules as the election is taking place. What a message to have out there for the voters right before an election! Futile because the polls have shown this measure losing support even before it gets out of the box. Even more futile because their only hope was a low turnout June election and that was a longshot to begin with. And it is more evidence of the lack of enthusiasm for this audacious proposal.

Changing the rules on Election Day! I’ve heard of changing the rules before the game is played but not at the end.

Look no further than the comment made by Tony Andrade, who has been one of the proponents of this idea, to an article here linking the attempt to the Giuliani campaign. Can you believe he actually said this!:

“There is a new twist to the dialogue on the Electoral Reform Initiative. In the event that the June 3, 2008 deadline is missed the Initiative will be on the Nov. 4, 2008 General Election Ballot.

“Since the Electoral College meets on Dec. 1, 2008 the passed Initiative would be in effect. The Democrat candidate would lose 24 electoral votes and lose the National election.” [Emphasis added]

Not even the veneer of fairness there. Just raw naked politics and the end result.

So “California Counts,” those trying to get this on the ballot, acknowledged today:

"Due to the tight calendar we are operating under and the challenge of raising money and gathering signatures during the Holiday season. We understand that submitting signatures and having them counted in time to make the June ballot, is no longer a realistic goal."

Of course, that deadline was missed in November—last week when they were supposed to be turned in.