dearelectors-blog

[dearelectors-blog]

Mrs. Tupou

Dear Mrs. Tupou,

Thank you for giving your service to our country by taking part in this critical step in our democratic process, and for taking the time to read this letter. As a fellow Christian, I’m very happy to know that one of the individuals representing our country in the electoral college is someone who believes strongly in the ideals of family, love, and kindness. I was also raised to treat others with respect and compassion, regardless of their gender, race, or sexuality, for we are all the children of God.

I wanted to reach out to you regarding President-elect Donald Trump. I am deeply concerned that he lacks the compassion and empathy needed to lead our country. President-elect Trump has had multiple divorces and affairs, as well as charges of sexual assault brought against him. He has described our Hispanic brothers and and sisters as “rapists” and “drug-dealers.” He wants to prevent thousands of refugees, most of whom are mothers and children, from entering our country and instead leave them to suffer in unspeakable conditions. When asked about the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo during a debate, President-elect Trump stated that “Aleppo was beyond saving,” but such an attitude condemns millions of children to death. President-elect Trump has also called for a “permanent ban” on Muslims entering the country, and refused to speak out on the increase in hate crimes committed against Muslim-Americans since his election. This persecution against Muslim-Americans reminds me of the persecution the Christian settlers faced in their own countries before they immigrated to America, or the persecution the Mormons faced before they bravely traveled out west. The cornerstone of American democracy rest within families, but President-elect Trump’s immigration policies threaten to tear hundreds of thousands of families apart. As someone who aspires to be a mother, I’m worried about what effect growing up in Trump’s America might have on my future children. I worry about a country where our youth will be taught to fear instead of love their neighbors.

The great State of Alaska does have a law stating that members of the electoral college are bound to vote the way their party asks them to vote. However, many constitutional scholars agree that this sort of law is an undue burden on an elector’s free agency, and that if a court were to examine the matter, this sort of law would be struck down as unconstitutional. As you so beautifully stated in one of your articles, “It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny.” I ask you, for the destiny of our children, for the destiny of our families, and for the destiny of our country, please do not vote for President-elect Donald Trump on December 19th.

Sincerely,

Natalie Osborne

#Electors #ElectoralCollege #Trump #Clinton #GOP #Republicans

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Mr. Andrew Reilly

Dear Mr. Andrew Reilly,

I’d like to thank you for your public service as a Delaware County elector and commend you for taking the time to read and consider the letters from Pennsylvania residents. I know you’ve been bombarded with pleas to reconsider your vote and, as a current Philadelphian, I’m grateful that you are committed to hearing my voice despite the sheer volume of emails and letters you must be receiving.

I’m aware that, as of the end of November, no one has advanced an argument that has persuaded you to reconsider voting for the “will of the people.” It’s honorable that you are committed to being the voice of the majority, but, even before our President-elect Donald Trump has officially taken office, the majority has begun to question their vote. I ask you, with heart and humor, to look no further than trumpgrets.tumblr.com.

I’m also sure that many of the voters who cast their ballot on November 8th for Trump could not have foreseen, or desired, the rise in hate crimes after his victory. I’m sure they could not have known Trump would have difficulty separating his personal business interests with his duties as an elected official. I’m sure they also could not have foreseen China’s foreign ministry already lodging an official complaint with the United States over the controversial phone call between Trump and Taiwan’s President which has overturned decades of diplomatic protocol.

This is my foremost concern with the idea of Trump’s presidency: his lack of respect for our country’s political institutions, which have protected us and allowed us to flourish as one of the most powerful countries in the world. As someone who serves on the board of the Pennsylvania Veterans Museum, I know you understand the sacrifice that has been made by our citizen to protect our unalienable rights, and what an immense threat it is to have a President who disregards those rights.

Namely, I’m concerned that Trump has no knowledge, and no desire to learn, about the bedrock of American prosperity, the Constitution. I recently read an op-ed written by Evan McMullin who, as chief policy director of the House Republican Conference, met with Trump in July. According to McMullin, when Trump was asked by a colleague about his thoughts on upholding Article I of the constitution, he interrupted her “to declare his commitment to the Constitution—even to parts of it that do not exist, such as ‘Article XII.’ Shock swept through the room as Mr. Trump confirmed one of our chief concerns about him: He lacked a basic knowledge of the Constitution.”

McMullin, a former C.I.A officer, says that he has seen firsthand the tactics of authoritarian leaders and that Trump exhibits all signs of becoming one. He ends his essay with this thought:  

In our nation, power is shared, checked and balanced precisely to thwart would-be autocrats. But as we become desensitized to the notion that Mr. Trump is the ultimate authority, we may attribute less importance to the laws, norms and principles that uphold our system of government, which protects our rights. Most dangerously, we devalue our own worth and that of our fellow Americans.

This is the same thought I’d like to leave you with. As an elector, your role was created to provide yet another check and balance to our government. You exist in order to thwart autocrats. We stand at an unprecedented moment in our nation’s history and you might be our last line of defense. I’m not writing to convince you to vote for anyone else on December 19th. I’m asking you to consider what has been revealed to us since November 8th and consider the possibility that the will of the majority might have, in the words of James Madison sacrificed “to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens.”

On December 19th, I’m asking you to withhold your vote for a president who has no respect or desire to investigate the founding principles of our country. A president who disregards the basis of our country with such flippancy is unfit to lead our country towards its greatest potential.

Once again, I greatly appreciate your dedication to hearing the voices rising from the state of Pennsylvania and hope you continue to be committed to serving the American public with generosity and an open mind. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Amanda Claire Buckley

#Trump #Clinton #GOP #Republican #pennsylvania #Electors #Electoralcollege

[dearelectors-blog]

Mr. Foster Morgan

Dear Mr. Foster Morgan,

You said earlier that Donald Trump is a typical Republican candidate.

I ask today whether you still feel that to be true.

If your priorities are partisan loyalty, then Donald Trump is not just a typical Republican candidate. He is a highly successful one. In the wake of his campaign, Republicans have gained control of the White House, the Congress, and soon the Supreme Court. Despite criticisms of his methods, the ends justify the means, and any move to critique or unseat Donald Trump at this moment would be a betrayal of the Republican Party.

If your priorities are conservative values, then Donald Trump is an unfolding crisis. The party of Lincoln and Reagan and Bush is rapidly morphing into the Party of Trump. He has injected a new set of values into the party, and they are displacing what Republicans could previously take pride in: humility; a careful Constitutionalism; a recognition of limits (and a consequential limiting of government); and a respect for the institutions that were established carefully and with forethought by previous generations.

The new metrics are troubling. The brash, the greedy, and the grandiose: conservatives could once choose to ascribe these to the liberal mind-set. Now they describe our President-Elect.

Mr. Morgan, you have mentioned that you are a skilled debater. I ask you to consider whether there is a blind spot when thinking about Trump. I feel that there must be, one way or another. Either that blind spot is partisanship: a partisanship above all else, which blinds one to all of Trump’s dangers and flaws. Or that blind spot is conservative values, which must blind us to Trump’s actual normalcy, to his excellent and well-executed fitness for President, to his worth and his strength as a responsible, mature, generous leader who will unite our nation and bring us toward a peaceful and prosperous future.

My father is a strong conservative. He has voted for a Republican in every election. He did not vote for Trump in this one. My father’s values do not permit him to support a candidate who he views—not just as uninformed and unprepared—but as toxic to everything he believes in, and dangerous in how he is reshaping what is permissible in our world.

My father abjectly refuses the normalization of Trump’s values.

You know he is far from alone in this sentiment.

When voting, and when discussing his vote, my father must have been concerned about the response of his peers, many of whom are comfortable and content with our coming Trump presidency. They are people he respects, and whose opinion he values, and who may now view him with distaste for not supporting the Republican candidate.

But in the end my father decided that there is a public statement of support which is made by voting for Trump. There is a public statement of support which is made when we keep quiet about deep misgivings. We give our implicit permission for certain things to continue, and to grow.

Perhaps his friends felt that he betrayed the Republican Party. But I suppose my father felt that giving this vote of support—this “permission”, even in the most minimal sense—was a far greater betrayal.

Mr. Morgan, thank you for giving me your patience and your time. Our democracy owes its legacy and continuation to your service.

Respectfully yours,

Martin Church

#Electors #Electoral College #Trump #Clinton #GOP #Republicans

[dearelectors-blog]

Mr. Morrisey

Dear Mr. Morrisey,

Firstly, I’d like to thank you for your public service as Attorney General in West Virginia. I’m especially inspired by your work addressing the drug epidemic with a holistic approach and your openness to bipartisanism. Your enthusiasm in working with with Governor-elect Jim Justice is much needed in a time when our country is increasingly divided. I believe, in the end, both parties have in their hearts a desire to protect the well-being of our citizens, and any attempt to cross divides to ensure that should be honored.

However, I am writing to you to ask that, as one of five electors for West Virginia, you consider withholding your vote for President-elect Donald Trump on December 19th. I understand that this is a difficult thing to ask of you. I understand that Trump agrees with you on a number of issues, including keeping the coal industry thriving in West Virginia. I commend you for wanting to protect the jobs and thus the economy of your state. I believe if Trump can provide anything for America, it could be job creation and potentially economic growth.

But I’ve become concerned with Trump’s selections for his administration. It has become clear to me in the last few weeks that a number of white nationalists are rallying around Trump, cheering and celebrating his presidency. That might not be under his control and he can denounce their agenda, but his selection for Chief Strategist and Senior Advisor says otherwise. For that post he chose Stephen Bannon, the former executive director of Breitbart News Network. Bannon himself called Breitbart the “platform of the alt-right movement,” an organized group that believes in white supremacy; explicitly states their hope to take away the freedom of all Americans who are different than they are or oppose their views; opposes immigration, feminism and multiculturalism; and delights in harassing Jews, Muslims and other vulnerable groups.

I’m writing to you as a citizen concerned with the safety of those who call our country home. We both agree that inflaming bigotry at this turning point in our country will not lead to peace and justice. I’m concerned about the swastikas I see painted on abandoned buildings and college dorms. I’m concerned about the racial slurs being traded between our children in middle schools. These are signs that cannot be ignored, and if they continue, we can be sure there will be wounds cut across state and party lines that we might not be able to stitch up.

I’m as concerned about the economy as you are and I want to protect our jobs, but before we do that we must protect our citizen’s health and safety. Your desire to address the drug epidemic that has soured not just West Virginia, but many rural regions of America, shows that you know this is true. If our population is sick, or if our population is in  a state of fear and danger, then they cannot perform the jobs we seek to protect.

I’m aware that in August you fired your assistant communications director, Carrie Bowe, for appearing in a Youtube video that discussed white genocide and a white nationalist conspiracy theory. I believe letting her go was an intelligent and ethically sound move on your behalf. I hope that if you are willing to hold your aide accountable for her actions, perhaps you’ll hold those in higher offices accountable as well.

I know what I’m asking of you is difficult. I understand that there is little precedent for what our country is currently facing. However, the electors are in place for a reason. One of our founding fathers, James Madison, worried about what he called “factions,” which he defined as groups of citizens who have a common interest in some proposal that would either violate the rights of citizens or would harm the nation as a whole. He was worried there would come a day when these factions would become the majority, at which point Americans could “sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens.”

All I ask of you, Mr. Morrisey, is that you think about the words of Madison and consider the public good and rights of our citizens. I hope that if you are willing to dismiss an aide for holding white nationalist views, perhaps your are willing to make a stand and hold our higher offices to the same standards.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Amanda Claire Buckley

#Republicans #GOP #Electors #ElectoralCollege #Trump #Clinton

[dearelectors-blog]

Mr. Parnell

Dear Mr. Parnell,

You are a man who believes that women have the right to live safely. You have worked with the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and you have done what you could to make their lives easier and free from fear. Please, help us more now.

I write to ask you to do something difficult.

I am asking you to cast your vote in the electoral college for anyone other than Donald J. Trump.

Mr. Parnell, I speak to you now as a victim of sexual violence: Trump terrifies me. Trump terrifies us. Everyone else I know who has been assaulted also finds his behavior reprehensible and frightening. His egregious actions towards women have been amply documented, and more allegations of everything from rudeness to violence keep surfacing. Trump’s ex-wife, Marla Maples, literally describes spousal rape in her depositions during their divorce. All of us who have been there can see the abusive pattern in his words, in his body language, in the way he laughs off criticism. Is this conduct that you condone in the President of the United States? The most powerful man in the world?

You, unlike so many of us, have the power to say no to him.

The great State of Alaska does have a law stating that members of the electoral college are bound to vote the way their party asks them to vote. However, many constitutional scholars agree that this sort of law is an undue burden on an elector’s free agency, and that if a court were to examine the matter, this sort of law would be struck down as unconstitutional.

As a citizen, you have the right to vote your conscience, and I am begging you to do so.

I’m not even going into the numerous ways in which Trump has already failed to live up to the dignity and duties of the office of President, much less the ways he has stated he intends to derogate his office in the future. I will only say that the life of an institution, the life of a set of ideals, the life of a country, depend on the people inside it treating it with some degree of respect. Our institutions, the system that created and nurtured your party—the party of Lincoln—are seriously threatened by Trump and the way he undermines them.

Please, Mr. Parnell, help save and protect more women. Be the protector we need, the protector our whole country needs.

Please cast your electoral vote for anyone other than Donald J. Trump.

Respectfully,

Lila Garrott-Wejksnora

#Republicans #Republican Party #GOP #Trump #Electors #Electoral College #Clinton

[dearelectors-blog]

Ms. Jane Pierpoint Lynch

Dear Ms. Jane Pierpoint Lynch,

I write to you respectfully both in your capacity as an elector representing the Republican Party of Arizona in this election, and as someone who has dedicated so much of your time, your intelligence, and your hard work to the political life of Arizona.

It has frankly been a pleasure to read about you and your continuous drive in the service of your state. It is always a pleasure to find someone with so much investment, seriousness of purpose, and devotion to public and political service — and especially on the local level.

It takes, not just drive, but a level of integrity that is rare to encounter.

I write to you today, as you have probably supposed, to ask that you give a moment’s pause before casting your electoral vote for Donald Trump on December 19.

I ask that you pause before voting for a candidate who abandons political commitments when they begin to feel inconvenient to him. Who contradicts himself and exaggerates wildly and with abandon. Who appears to change his positions based on who he has spoken with last. Who has repeatedly taken advantages of loopholes for personal gain. Who has switched his political affiliation from Republican, Democrat, and Independent several times over.

A pause, in the name of a candidate who belittled Senator John McCain’s military service, and picked a petty, ugly fight with a grieving Gold Star family.

A pause, in the name of a candidate who damned the electoral college in 2012 for not giving him the results he wanted, but is now celebrating it precisely for aligning with his desires.

I do not believe that Donald Trump has any genuine respect for the electoral college, or for the institutions it represents.

And I do not believe that Donald Trump is a worthy leader for a party that has prided itself on hard work, dedication, constancy of purpose, and intelligence.

Ms. Lynch, the people of Arizona have elected you to represent their vote, and this is a duty that must be treated with the seriousness it merits. But it is your decision alone on how to express that representation. There is no danger this year of the Republican Party losing the White House. Consequently there is freedom to take a stand, and to make a statement. If you hesitate at the man who can now be considered to represent the national Republican Party, then I ask only that you hesitate before giving him your vote.

We are in a crisis of definition. The Republican Party is being rebranded as the “Party of Trump”. I do not think that many of us desire that particular transformation of values.

Whether you cast your vote for Donald Trump, or consider either abstaining or writing in a different candidate — this is your decision alone.

But your vote, one way or another, will send a message, and it will make a statement, and it will absolutely make a difference.

Thank you for giving me your time and your consideration. And thank you, also, for your dedication, for your perseverance, and for your representation. Our democracy owes its legacy and continuation to your service.

Respectfully yours,

Martin Church

#Republican #Republican Party #Trump #Clinton #Electors #Electoral College #Electorletters

[dearelectors-blog]

Mr. Brian Westrate

Dear Mr. Westrate,

I am writing to you today not to change your mind but to engage you in political discourse, which, given your ideals of an active and engaged democracy and a life lived in service, I suspect you will appreciate. Yes, I am writing to you in your capacity as an elector for the Republican Party this year, and my hope is that you will abstain from voting and leave the decision to the House to pick a less tyrannical Republican who is dedicated to Republican values, but I do not pretend that this is a realistic goal. Instead I aim to understand.

Firstly, I identify with and applaud you on your determination to be a self-made man. I know from experience that building a life that is secure and good is incredibly difficult but is ultimately a pursuit that compels one to give back to the environment that one has sprung from — I am very glad to see that there are still others with the same impulses and principles. I completely understand why fiscal conservatism appeals to you and why you want a hands-off government that spends nothing it doesn’t have to. On many levels I absolutely agree with you. This ideal of a nation that works with and for each other is one we share.

I am writing because I do not understand how President-Elect Trump embodies these ideals of limited government. In fact, in my mind, he embodies the exact opposite of these ideals. The President-Elect has proposed hugely expensive projects — from the border wall, to rebuilding infrastructure, to creating a database of Muslims: these projects would cost the taxpayers trillions. As you say on your website, a dollar is always better spent or saved by the person who earned it.

Further, I admire that you’re a strict Constitutionalist who believes that the government should be restricted literally to the document. However, I am having a hard time resolving this ideal with Trump’s moves  toward and promises to preserve and expand the government’s role in people’s day-to-day lives. Yes, he promised to repeal Obamacare, but he has also promised to replace it with a similar government system. He has also promised to repeal Common Core and grant the States more control over their citizens’ education; however he has no way to pay for this without taxing the people. He has also proposed establishing “stop and frisk” policies which directly violate our rights granted to us by the 4th amendment. These goals overreach the framework of the Constitution, which gives no standard for regulating education or healthcare, and directly prohibits search and seizure without reason. His plans and goals seem to conflict with this Republican ideal of a limited government and I am curious to know how you have resolved this conflict.

And finally, I wonder how you’ve resolved your religious conflicts with voting for Trump. The presidential Electors were originally chosen for their good judgement and their proven history of being the wisest in their state. They are the last defense for the American people — guardians standing at the gate of power. Samuel II 23:3 states, “The Rock of Israel spoke to me, he who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” This is a sentiment shared throughout the Old Testament as well. I know President-Elect Trump claims to be Christian (though, given his history of sexualizing his daughter, refusing to give to charity, disrespecting others, etc. I doubt he is a very devout one) — however, it is the fact that this man is neither righteous nor just which calls this question into my mind. He does not always pay people who have completed work for him; he consistently uses fear and hate to get his base on his side; and he has been sued multiple times for the charge of sexually assaulting women. Though there have been presidents and candidates who also do these things, I do not understand how a Christian justifies voting for them.

If I have raised any doubts in your mind as to whether your candidate supports these Republican ideals which have carried the party through the last 50 years or more, I implore  your to re-evaluate your position. The people of your state have voted for Donald Trump. However, the Electoral College has the duty to defer their decision to Congress, to prevent a Tyrant or an idiot from assuming the most powerful position in our country. I believe the duty of the Electoral College, every four years, is to determine whether or not the voice of the people has mistakenly elected a person who will lead the country to disaster. And I ask you, given your ideals, given the leadership Trump has displayed, and given his proposed violations of our rights, to question whether or not it has.

Thank you for your time and your service, both in this turbulent election and in your local community. I am envious of Wisconsin for having a public servant so dedicated.

Best,

Abby Beggs

#Trump #Electoral College #Electors #Clinton #Republican Party #GOP #Electorletters

[dearelectors-blog]

Governor Dennis Daugaard

Dear Governor Dennis Daugaard,

I write to you respectfully in your capacity as the governor of South Dakota; as a notably moral and upstanding citizen; and as an elector representing the Republican Party of South Dakota in this election.

I am sure you’ve been written to many times already. I would also guess that your words have been quoted back at you, which would not surprise me, as they are excellent words: “As Americans, we have a responsibility to study the candidates and the issues and to cast an informed ballot.”

Governor, you have been a sympathetic and careful governor to South Dakota. You have had sympathy for those not immediately associated with the Republican Party, and you have governed in a way which I believe encourages your constituents to have empathy for others. You have restrained your personal emotion from guiding your choices and have instead governed from a place of precision, ethics, and conscience.

You do not need me to point out how this contrasts with Donald Trump.

There is no danger of a Democratic White House this year. Donald Trump’s electoral lead is significant, and even if it were challenged, the Congress would guarantee his Presidency. The  economy, the Supreme Court nominations, the rights and freedoms of both state and individual: these are all safely in the hands of Republican lawmakers.

What I am asking you, then, is to make a statement against Donald Trump. There is no risk — except the risk of condoning Donald Trump as the new leader of the GOP. Or the risk of indicating acceptance, not merely of a Republican slate, but of every other thing that has become part and parcel of Donald Trump, of his campaign, of his proposed cabinet, and of the overall nature of his candidacy.

I do not think I need to cite how deeply flawed and troubling he is, not just as a presidential candidate, but as the face of the “new” GOP. You are, I think, fully aware of the genuine danger he poses. I am particularly concerned by his disregard for Constitutional norms, by his uneven and unpredictable temperament, and by his apparent sheer lack of concern or preparation for a job which millions and millions of Americans are counting on him to do right.

Trump has delivered a victory to the Republican Party, but I think it is just as important for the Republican Party to deliver a message back to him: what is acceptable, and what is not, and what lines must never be crossed.

When representing the people of South Dakota on December 19, I ask that you — as you phrased it so well — cast an informed ballot. Not just informed in your choice, but informed in the capacity for statement which is carried by your vote.

Whether you cast your vote for Donald Trump, or abstain, or vote for a different candidate altogether: your vote, one way or another, will send a message. It will send a message from the Republican Party, and from the people of South Dakota.

If you vote for Donald Trump, it will make a statement, just as powerful as if you do not. And it will absolutely make a difference.

Governor, thank you for giving me your time and your consideration. I especially appreciate it considering how busy your schedule must be.

And thank you, also, for your upstanding decency; for your commitment to serving others ethically and with care; and for your representation. Our democracy owes its legacy and continuation to your service.

Respectfully yours,

Martin Church

#Electors #SouthDakotaGOP #SouthDakotaRepublicanParty #Trump #Clinton

[dearelectors-blog]

Ms. Polly Granzow

Dear Ms. Polly Granzow,

I would like to thank you for participating in this critical step of our democratic process and for taking the time to read this letter. I would also like to congratulate you on a distinguished career serving the people of Iowa as a State Representative. I’m sure I’m not the first to reach out to you this election season, but I felt the need to express my concerns regarding the future of our great nation.

In order to protect the purity of our democracy, the authority of the constitution, and the freedom of all Americans, I must ask you not to vote for President-elect Donald Trump: a candidate who not only threatens to destroy the ideals of the Republican Party, but the sanctity of our Bill of Rights.

Throughout his campaign, President-elect Trump threatened to open up “libel laws” in order to prevent the press from running stories he disagrees with or feels put his presidency in a bad light, in clear violation of the First Amendment. In the weeks following the election, he has continued to attack the press on social media. He has harassed those who have expressed concern with his proposed policies by threatening to arrest them, or worse, take away their citizenship, depriving them of the freedom all Americans deserve. He supports reinstating “stop and frisk” on a national scale, which the Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional as it violated the Fourth Amendment. Additionally, President- Elect Trump has proposed legislation that will violate international laws and destroy America’s reputation as a global power.

There is a reason that Mr. Trump lost the popular vote by an unprecedented two million votes. Mr. Trump has proven to have no sense of humility or work ethic, blaming others for his mistakes and refusing to listen to advice from hard-working, common-sense Republicans. The members of his proposed cabinet consist of known racists, misogynists, and anti-Semites. This does not represent the party of Ronald Reagan or Lincoln, and what shame would they feel if they could see the direction their party is taking.

Alexander Hamilton wrote that the electoral college was needed to ensure that “the office of the President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.” I, along with many other Americans, believe that if you were to choose to vote against Trump, you would be justified for the above reasons; and I, along with many others, would support your decision.

I know that this is a difficult decision for you to make, but I hope you will do your best to protect the freedoms of all Americans. If you would be interested, I would love to discuss this further with you.

Thank you for your time and for your service to our country.

Sincerely,

Natalie Osborne

#Iowa #RepublicanpartyofIowa #IowaGOP #Electors #Electorletters #Clinton #Trump

[dearelectors-blog]

Ms. Carole Joyce

Dear Ms. Carole Joyce,

I write to you respectfully in your capacity as a retired nurse; in your capacity as a strong advocate for immunization and vaccination; and in your capacity as an elector representing the Republican Party of Arizona in this election.

I write with concern because our President-Elect Donald Trump has fomented conspiracy theories linking vaccines to autism, publicly met with anti-vaccine lobbyists, and generally encouraged rootless doubt in a practice which has preserved global health and preemptively saved millions (if not billions) of lives.

So many people over the decades have done generous, hard work in public health safety, and in promoting immunization and vaccination. So many of us owe our lives and our health to people like you. Now, for the first time, there is a genuine threat that all this work may be undone.

As an elector, your duty is to represent the people who elected you. This is a duty that must be respected and not treated lightly.

I believe in duty. However, I also believe in conscience, and the two are not always aligned. In fact conscience sometimes requires us to reexamine the duty that is expected of us. The people have voted for a Republican presidency. The people have elected you to represent their vote. You alone must choose the best way to do so. You are in the position of being the people's conscience.

I encourage you to consider carefully before casting a vote on December 19th for Donald Trump. You have the freedom to choose the candidate you see as most fit to lead, or to abstain from voting entirely. The people of Arizona have selected you to make this choice for them. If there is any doubt in your mind about the fitness of Donald Trump for our presidency, I encourage you to consider using your vote to express this doubt.

One vote will not change the results of the electoral college, I know. But it will make a statement, and it will make a difference.

It will send a message that there are boundaries which must be respected and tolerated. Respect for public health is one boundary that we must not see crossed.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your time, for your patience, and for your representation. Our democracy owes its legacy and continuation to your service.

Respectfully yours,

Martin Church

#Electors #Republicans #Trump #Clinton #ElectorLetters #RepublicanPartyofArizona #Arizona #ElectoralCollege