University of Virginia Library

Elector MacBride Defies GOP,
Votes For Libertarian Ticket

By SCOTT TOLLEFSEN

A Charlottesville
Republican presidential elector
refused to vote for the GOP
ticket during the official
Electoral College balloting in
Richmond Monday.

Roger L. MacBride, who
describes himself as "a life-long
Republican," cast his vote for
the Libertarian Party ticket of
John Hospers and Theodora
Nathan, which did not appear
on the Virginia ballot.

"My action was an exercise
in meaningful protest within
the accepted political system,"
he said.

Virginia law states that
electors "shall be expected to
vote in the electoral college for
the nominees of any national
convention to which the said
state convention elects
delegates," but there is no legal
compulsion.

Mr. MacBride said that he
decided to "take this step on
behalf of the millions in this
country who have helplessly
watched the presidential
leadership inexorably move the
federal government in the
direction of greater control
over the lives of all of us."

Decided After Election

Mr. MacBride a lawyer and
one of the two at-large electors
on the state of Virginians
that swept the state for the
Nixon-Agnew ticket on Nov. 7.
said that he decided to vote for
the Libertian ticket after the
federal election.

As the author of a book,
"The American Electoral
College," which deals with the
functions of the college, Mr.
MacBride noted that he was
"well aware of my powers as
an elector" when he voted
Monday.

Mr. MacBride said that his
vote "was an attempt to make
people aware of the philosophy
of libertarianism," which, he
explained, "advocates both
social and economic freedom."

Didn't Want Crisis

"I would not have voted
this way in a close election,"
he commented, "because I
certainly didn't want to cause a
constitutional crisis."

The Libertarian Party's
platform, he continued,
"offered a challenge within the
political system to the
ever-growing power of the state
and a defense of the rights of
the individual."