W. F. Turner
William F. Turner (circa 1891,
.1956 presidential election
He is remembered as a faithless elector.[2]
Although he pledged to vote for the Democratic ticket of
his running-mate Estes Kefauver, he cast his presidential vote on December 17, 1956, for a circuit court judge from his hometown, Walter Burgwyn Jones, who was totally unknown outside his area: he was allowed to do so thanks to a 1949 Supreme Court of Alabama ruling stating electors were free agents.[1]
While Turner voted for well-known
John Malcolm Patterson, would be impossible due to the requirement that any presidential ticket be taken from two different states.[1]
When fellow elector Tom Cochrane confronted him about "[his] obligation", Turner replied "I have fulfilled my obligations to the people of Alabama. I'm talking about the white people", a comment which suggested that he opposed Stevenson and Kefauver, who were liberal on civil rights (unlike Jones and Senator Talmadge, known for their pro-
Death
Turner died on January 3, 1958, in Montgomery, aged 66.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "William F. Turner Dies; Bolter of Demo Party". Alabama Journal. January 4, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
- ^ Our Campaigns - Candidate - W. F. Turner
- ^ "Electors: Frequently Asked Questions". CNN. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
- ^ "Pledged To Adlai; Votes For Another". The Greenville News. December 18, 1956. p. 10. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
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