Oklahoma electors do their duty and select George W. Bush

The presidential votes that count the most are in. George W Bush and Dick Cheney won the White House, based on Monday's votes from the Electoral College. Nevada put the republicans over the top,

Tuesday, December 19th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The presidential votes that count the most are in. George W Bush and Dick Cheney won the White House, based on Monday's votes from the Electoral College. Nevada put the republicans over the top, but Oklahoma played a role as well.

A standing room only crowd gathered to watch the final, and official returns from Oklahoma's election for president. Family members of the electors made up much of the crowd. Governor Keating convened the ceremony, sitting down with Oklahoma's eight electors -- all of whom were far from the political limelight until Monday. They cast their votes on hand-written ballots, first for president. "The eight electors assigned to Oklahoma, all eight have voted for George Bush to be president of the United States," announced Keating.
The crowd cheered another step toward the resolution of such a controversial election.

There were no surprises during the presidential vote, all eight electors selected George W Bush. But as they voted for vice president, one of the electors hesitated. He had to ask how to spell the name of the vice president-elect. He was assured there are two "e"'s in "Cheney."

The second vote was a quick as the first. The eight electors of Oklahoma have voted unanimously. Eeight electoral votes for Dick Cheney to be vice president of the United States,â€ Keating announced to the crowd. The vote of the electoral college has in modern times been seen as a formality, but the electors know what many voters have learned this year - it's the electors' votes that count the most. "I wholeheartedly support the electoral college system,â€ said Oklahoma elector George Wiland. â€œIt was one of the great compromises of the founding fathers that came out of the constitution." "We are a federal republic, not a unitary democracy,â€ said elector Steve Byas. â€œThis is an indication that the states are important to our way of government, and I hope they always will be."

For the electors, it's a high honor reserved for the most faithful of the party. It's the most powerful vote they will ever cast. Eight votes representing a state's people, electing a president for the next four years. The votes cast Monday will be tabulated by the United States Congress January 6th. The official returns are sent to Washington D.C. where Vice President Al Gore is charged with presenting them to the U-S Senate.