Chandler "Harry" Stevens, 69, served in the Massachusetts Legislature, ran a software company, served in the Peace Corps in Ukraine and found semi-retirement and political activism in southern Minnesota



Chandler "Harry" Stevens, 69, served in the Massachusetts Legislature, ran a software company, served in the Peace Corps in Ukraine and found semi-retirement and political activism in southern Minnesota

School day for Electoral College

MINNESOTAN AMONG DFL ELECTORS FINDS HIMSELF CASTING VOTE FOR FORMER FOE IN KERRY BY JIM RAGSDALE

Pioneer Press

[Excerpt]

There are 252 Democratic activists who will cast electoral votes for Sen. John Kerry today, but Chandler "Harry" Stevens of Austin, Minn., may be the only one who once ran against the man he is voting for.

"We weren't that much in the way of competitors,'' recalled Stevens, one of Minnesota 10 electors who will be part of the historic — some would say anachronistic — Electoral College gatherings around the country.

In 1970, Stevens, who lived in the Boston area, was pitted against Kerry in a Democratic caucus to select a congressional candidate. He finished third, Kerry finished second, and the Rev. Robert Drinan won the support of the caucus and, later, the congressional seat.

"When I withdrew, I went over to John Kerry,'' said Stevens, then a political independent.

Stevens, 69, served in the Massachusetts Legislature, ran a software company, served in the Peace Corps in Ukraine and found semi-retirement and political activism in southern Minnesota.

Stevens reconnected with Kerry during the campaign, volunteered in the early primary states and mobilized independents for Kerry. One of his strangest tasks was organizing an Oct. 22 news conference in which former Govs. Angus King of Maine and Jesse Ventura of Minnesota appeared in St. Paul on behalf of Kerry.

Ventura refused to speak to Minnesota reporters. "He just stood beside the governor from Maine and nodded his head,'' Stevens recalled.

As a result of his work for Kerry, Democratic-Farmer-Labor activists named him a DFL elector. Like several of his colleagues who will cast ballots at noon in the Governor's Reception Room, Stevens questions the institution he is a part of.

The Electoral College, 538 citizens who represent more than 119 million popular votes cast on Nov. 2, is often criticized as undemocratic. In 2000, George W. Bush lost the popular vote by nearly 544,000 votes to Al Gore but won the Electoral College 271-266, provoking calls for reform.

This year, Bush won the popular vote by more than 3.3 million. Barring any "faithless electors'' who stray from their state's winner, Bush will win the Electoral College today by a 286 to 252 margin.

The electoral math — in which most states give all their electoral votes to the winner of the state's popular vote — means candidates campaign only in a subset of "battleground'' states. The winner-take-all Electoral College gives us the "red" and "blue" state divisions. Allotting two electoral votes for U.S. senators strengthens the hand of sparsely populated states.

"I think it should be abolished,'' said Vi Grooms-Alban of Cohasset, Minn., an Itasca County DFL activist who will join Stevens today as an elector. She and several of her colleagues said the system diminishes the importance of the actual popular vote.

When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

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December 10, 2004: This Week's Top Stories Dodd says Rumsfeld's answer was unacceptable 9 Dec RPCV Blake Willeford runs classic movie theatre 9 Dec RPCV says education is key to curbing AIDS 9 Dec RPCV Dannielle Tegeder opens exhibition 9 Dec Shalala 1st Woman In Touchdown Club 9 Dec "Today we have a new country" says Toledo 9 Dec DDN wins Investigative Reporting Award 8 Dec Celeste on Panel to study Colorado finances 8 Dec RPCV leads Rotary Club medical team to Togo 6 Dec Vasquez to speak at Hawaii, Wisconsin commencements 6 Dec Tom Murphy warns Pittsburgh on budget abyss 2 Dec Venezuela RPCV Martha Egan runs Pachamama imports 30 Nov more top stories...

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RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

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