n Dec. 18, Etta Goodstein of Cape Cod will come to the State House wearing a handmade black dress. The men, all of them Democrats like herself, will wear pressed suits and tuxedos.
They are the chosen ones, an obscure lot of teachers, small-town politicians, and political junkies who have been hand-picked by their political parties to perform an important task: choose the next leader of the free world.
As America's presidential election crisis shows few signs of a resolution, the country's traditionally obscure members of the 50 Electoral Colleges have been thrown into a hurly-burly spotlight. Once a faceless crew, Massachusetts' 12 members of the Electoral College are now all the buzz in grocery stores and coffee shops.
''This is what we have been waiting for,'' said Goodstein of Dennis. ''When people are talking about the Electoral College in the grocery store I tap them on the shoulder and say, `That's me. That's me.'''
All across the country, varying bands of electors depending on the size of a state's congressional delegation will meet at their respective state houses. By law, only members of the winning party in each state are eligible to attend the special event. And, since Gore won by a landslide in Massachusetts, here it will be a Democratic affair.
''Suddenly, we're awfully important,'' said Marcia Sweeney, a Democrat from Marblehead. ''I ve gone from being an obscure asterisk to the superstar of the moment.''
If past is prologue, the electors can alter the presidential election. Three times in history, the Electoral College has sent the man with fewer popular votes to the White House.
It also is possible these political faithfuls could vote against their man and help send someone from the other party to the Oval Office. In 1796, a Pennsylvania elector from the Federalist party voted for Thomas Jefferson rather than John Adams of his own party.
But Republican and Democratic electors say it is unlikely someone would forsake their party.
''I know that nobody in Massachusetts who is Democrat will change their vote,'' said Patricia Armstrong, a Milton Democrat.
Dale Jenkins Jr., who was appointed to the Republican Electoral College twice, said he doesn't know of a Republican who would do such a thing either.
''Someone wishy-washy is not going to be elected to the college,'' said Frederick Koed, a Democrat member from Cohasset. ''I consider it an honor that I was elected. I take this very, very seriously.''
But electors of both major parties say the events in the past few days have shocked and excited them.
''The one thing that bothers me is that I never thought it would happen like this,'' said Armstrong, a teacher. ''I feel so deficient. I should have been thinking about this.''
Electors say they have spent their days and nights educating friends and strangers on the purpose of the college. And, many of them say they have had their own soul-searching moments when they have asked themselves if the Electoral College is really fair.
''It's something that needs to be looked into,'' said Jenkins. ''But I am not one of those people to say it needs to be done away with.''
For now, Goodstein, who is a community activist in Dennis, says she can only think about casting that vote for Gore next month. Her signature will be displayed in Washington for all to see. She gets goose bumps just thinking about it.
