Should there be a penalty for elected officials who abandon their office?

First Governor Palin, now Florida Senator Martinez. I do not understand how these elected officials can justify just quitting their job. This isn’t working 9–5 at McDonalds or Best Buy. You ran for this office, you asked, begged, pleaded, and convinced the electorate to vote for you. In exchange for our vote, was there not an implicit promise that you would faithfully execute your office for the full duration of your term, barring emergency circumstances?

What do you think? Is running for and voting in a public election a form of social contract? Should the electorate be entitled to damages if the official breaks this contract? I don’t know what kind of damages I’m thinking of. Probably not criminal charges… but would a civil lawsuit be that far beyond the realm of reasonability?

(Please try to keep any particular political party out of this, and focus on the concept of elected officals abandoning their office in general. Thanks.)