Henry D. Irwin

Henry D. Irwin was a Republican Presidential Elector (from Oklahoma) for the 1960 U.S. presidential election who became a "faithless elector" when he declined to vote as pledged. Irwin is the only presidential elector in American election history to try to convince his fellow presidential electors to change their vote.

"Could not stomach" Nixon

In the 1960 Presidential election, Irwin, who had been pledged to vote for then Vice President Richard Nixon (of California) and Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. (of Massachusetts), instead cast his presidential electoral ballot for Harry F. Byrd, who was a conservative Democratic Senator from Virginia. Unlike other electors who voted for Byrd for president, Irwin cast his vice presidential electoral vote for Arizona Republican Senator Barry Goldwater. Irwin later admitted in an interview with CBS that he "could not stomach" Nixon.[1]

The Byrd telegram

Irwin may be unique in American election history by the fact that he may be the only Presidential Elector to make a public effort to attempt to convince his fellow Republican Presidential Electors to also change their votes. After the November 1960, presidential election, Irwin sent out the following telegram addressed to the other 219 Republican Electors:

I am Oklahoma Republican elector. The Republican electors cannot deny the election to Kennedy. Sufficient conservative Democratic electors available to deny labor Socialist nominee. Would you consider Byrd President, Goldwater Vice President, or wire any acceptable substitute. All replies strict confidence.[1]

Irwin was said to have received about 40 replies from other electors but all of the other pledged electors voted as pledged.[1]

Byrd receives 15 electoral votes

Also in the 1960 presidential election, 14 unpledged electors (eight from Mississippi and six from Alabama) cast their Presidential votes for Harry Byrd. However, none of them voted for Senator Barry Goldwater as Vice President, instead giving their second vote to Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Faithless Electors: Henry D. Irwin

External links


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