W.Va. elector says he'll vote for Bush

November 09, 2000

W.Va. elector says he'll vote for Bush

By LAURA ERNDE / Staff Writer

A Berkeley Springs, W.Va., man who is a member of the elite Electoral College said Thursday he'll cast his vote for George W. Bush.

"That's an absolute certainty. We must and will follow the law. The people of West Virginia spoke loudly and clearly," said Charles Trump. The popular vote was 329,709 votes for Bush and 291,088 votes for Al Gore.

Trump, the minority leader in West Virginia's House of Delegates, and the state's other four electors, were nominated and elected to serve as electors at the state's Republican Convention in July. Their official vote will take place Dec. 18 in Charleston, W.Va.

The electors traditionally vote for the candidate who carries the popular vote in their state, but it's not mandatory in some states, including West Virginia.

The Electoral College process has come under scrutiny by the uncertain outcome of Tuesday's razor thin presidential election results.

Trump said the close vote in Florida has no bearing on what he sees as his duty to uphold the Electoral College system.

"I'm very excited about it. The process is in our United State Constitution and that is our supreme law, so how one feels about it is irrelevant," he said.

Trump is the only Tri-State area resident who will be an elector.

Two Washington County residents, Vince Dellaposta and Victoria Nelson, were selected to be Maryland's electors if the state's popular vote had gone to Bush.

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