By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The Alabama Republican Party held their summer meeting Saturday in Montgomery. One important item of business for the party was selecting Presidential Electors.
American elections are not won by popular vote or even necessarily by the candidate which wins the most states. The actual winner is chosen by the men and women in the Electoral College. The electors (we hope) vote for the presidential candidate who got the most votes in their home state when the Electoral College votes are tabulated in December.
The Republican Party Executive Committee voted for Alabama Senate Majority Leader Jabo Waggoner (R) from Vestavia to be a Republican elector representing the state of Alabama at-large. Sen. Waggoner said, “This is one of the top honors of my public career. I am deeply grateful for the confidence of and the overwhelming vote from my fellow Republicans for this very important constitutional duty of casting a vote in the Electoral College for the next President and Vice President of the United States.”
Sen. Waggoner said, “As a student of history and having been long interested in the how the Founders devised the Electoral College and now to be one of 538 electors nationwide, this is a solemn duty that I will look forward to.” Sen. Waggoner thanked the Alabama Republican Executive Committee for selecting him to represent the Party and the State.
Senate Majority Leader Waggoner is also the Vice-Chairman of the Alabama Republican National Convention Delegation. Lt. Governor Kay Ivey is the other Vice-Chairman of the Convention Delegation.
The Republican Executive Committee also selected Will Sellers to be the other at-large Elector. The Montgomery resident is a Romney delegate to the Republican Convention in Tampa Bay, FL. Mr. Sellers was a presidential Elector in 2004 for President George W. Bush and was a 2008 Elector for Senator John McCain in 2008. Mr. Sellers was also the Chairman of the Kay Ivey Campaign for Lt. Governor in 2010. Mr. Sellers also is the Chairman of Alabama Lawyers for Romney.
The other seven electors are chosen from each of Alabama’s seven Congressional Districts:
Terry Lathan is the Elector representing Congressional District 1
Sue Neuwien is the Elector representing Congressional District 2
Bob Fincher is the Elector representing Congressional District 3
Lynn Robinson is the Elector representing Congressional District 4
Elbert Peters is the Elector representing Congressional District 5
Ed Allen is the Elector representing Congressional District 6
And Bob Cusanelli is from Congressional District 7
The state’s presidential electors will meet on December 17th in Montgomery. Governor Bentley will prepare original Certificates of Ascertainment for the electors. A majority of 270 electoral voted is required to elect both the President and the Vice President.
While most political observers expect former Governor Mitt Romney to carry Alabama easily, the Alabama Democratic Party will also prepare their own list of Democrat Electors in case President Obama carries the state in November. The last time a Democrat carried Alabama in a Presidential Election was 1976 when Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter unseated Republican incumbent President Gerald Ford.
The Electoral College was established by the U.S. Constitution and amended by the 12th Amendment.
