A switch by three Bush electors, along with the uncast Gore vote, would throw the election to the House. A switch by four Bush electors and the election was Gore's. But most expected the Bush-pledged electors to keep their promise. In many states, electors are bound by law to keep their pledge. But other states like Florida have no such law.
Some scholars say the laws probably are unenforceable.
Several electors in the past have broken their pledge, most recently in 1988, but never in a close election where it could change the result. Al Gore and I don't expect any surprises, Lieberman said. Democrats used e-mails and telephone calls to argue that Gore deserved to be president because he won the popular vote. Republicans dismissed the effort. There was never any doubt, said New Hampshire elector Wayne McDonald, who was besieged with calls from reporters and voters after news reports hinted that he was thinking of backing Gore.