Nader supporters urge at least some to vote for Gore. A group calling itself “Nader’s Raiders for Gore” accuses Nader of going back on a pledge to campaign only in those states where a vote for him would not hurt Gore’s chances. ‘”It is now clear that you might well give the White House to

Bush. As a result, you would set back significantly the social

progress to which you have devoted your entire, astonishing

career,” the group wrote Friday in its open letter to the

consumer advocate.’ The appeal has been rejected by Nader’s press secretary. “Greens for Gore” has taken a similar stance. “If the last minute exit or public opinion polls in your state

show Gore or Bush clearly projected to win, then vote Nader. If

it is too close or undecided at that point, then vote for Al

Gore.” I’ve previously blinked Nader advisor Steve Cobble’s “Your Vote Doesn’t Matter,” suggesting that progressives vote for Nader in states where (and only where) one of the major candidates has locked in the electoral college votes already. Singer Ani Difranco, a Nader supporter, has written an open letter urging Oregonians to vote for Gore.

An article in The New Republic suggests that Nader may actually be seeking a Gore defeat by working so hard for swing state votes. The theory is that a Bush presidency would galvanize the progressive movement. [The last time I remember anyone reasoning like that was when people jokingly suggsted we might bring on the Revolution by electing George Wallace!]

These CNN maps show the status of the races for each state’s electoral votes. They will be updated regularly until Election Day, and can help you decide whether, and how, to waste your very own vote. Here are the current “tossup” states: