Posted on 11/22/2016 8:57:51 AM PST by BlackFemaleArmyColonel
A number of Democratic Electoral College electors are planning to use their votes to undermine the election process in opposition to President-elect Donald Trump, Politico is reporting.
Some electors are lobbying their Republican counterparts to vote for someone other than Trump in an attempt to deny him the 270 votes required to elect him, according to the news outlet. They are also contemplating whether to cast their votes for someone other than Hillary Clinton
With at least six electors already vowing to become "faithless," the defection could be the most significant since 1808, when six Democratic-Republican electors refused to vote for James Madison, choosing vice presidential candidate George Clinton instead.
The electors acknowledge that it is unlikely that they will be able to block Trump from gaining office, Politico reported, but they are optimistic that their effort will raise enough questions about the Electoral College to reform or abolish it.
"If it gets into the House, the controversy and the uncertainty that would immediately blow up into a political firestorm in the U.S. would cause enough people — my hope is — to look at the whole concept of the Electoral College," one of the electors told Politico.
It’s unclear how many, if any, Republicans have signed on to the effort.
Twenty-nine states legally require their electors to obey the results of the popular vote in their state.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
The Constitution clearly states that electors from each state are to be chosen in a manner determined by the legislature of that state. A mandate that decrees that states must award electors in a winner take all fashion would require an amendment to implement.
I am not sure that laws requiring electors to vote for the winner of the electionin that state are questionable Constitutionally at all. The only thing the Constitution has to say about choosing electors is that the individual state legislatures have the power to determine how the state’s electors are selected. It places no restrictions on laws regarding how electors are to vote.
A fine... which would undoubtedly be immediately pardoned.
It would require a Constitutional amendment to implement this. I don’t disagree with your idea, but for practical purposes this is what happens anyway. While there have been faithless electors, they have been few in number, and nowhere near the 37 that would be needed for Trump to lose his majority.
In such a case, if that electors rogue vote were received and counted in Congress, I am pretty sure it would be counted in the EV tally despite its illegality. The fine imposed would not change the vote.
Yes, it’s legal. In most states, the electors are not legally bound to the candidate in whose name they were elected. (Ethically is another question.)
And the laws in some states that do purport to bind the electors may or may not be constitutional. This has never been adjudicated. In most cases, however, all they do is fine the elector.
However, in order to deny Trump the presidency, they would have to find 37 “faithless” Republican electors. (306-37=269, one vote short of the required 270.) I suspect there may be one or two, but they have virtually no chance of moving 37.
Not necessarily, and not in most states.
37. He has 306, so if you subtract 36, he still has the bare minimum 270. You’d need to move 37 to get him to 269.
According to the Constitution, the legislature certifies the electors, so should your scenario unfold, the legislature would have to pick a new slate.
If nobody gets a majority, the House chooses the president from the top three finishers.
This was hte “McMullin scenario” — a close electoral split, with McMullin winning Utah (they also thought they had a chance at Colorado), thus being the third-place finisher, and then being the choice of Establishment Republicans on the Hill who were not warm to Trump.
Remember, should it go to the House, each state has ONE vote.
The Senate would choose the VP from the top two finishers, each Senator having one vote, so Pence would be secure in any event.
At some point, the Michigan legislature must certify the electoral votes and send them to Congress.
The Constitution requires them to vote, in their respective state capitals (precisely to prevent tehm from congregating in one place, which would make corrupting the process easier.)
What nice, compassionate, tolerant people!
Maine and Nebraska use the “district system”, which allots two electors to the candidate who carries the state, then one for each Congressional district. Trump actually won one of four Maine electors because he carried the Second Congressional District.
Won’t matter.. But suggest some go on campaign and get electors to flip to Trump in NM, CO, etc.
Do it. I dare you.
Want another civil war? This will be the tipping point.
I heard there is also a possibility that aliens from another planet will land here and forcibly make Hillary President or they will vaporize the planet with their Captain Kirk phaser guns.
I heard there’s a possibility that Roger Goodell will go ahead and award the Cleveland Browns the Super Bowl Championship.
Idiots tilting at windmills.
This will come to nothing.
This is why I avoid the MSM. They just can’t stop creating mayhem and sensationalizing everything. They probably have some instances of electors getting harassed and have turned it into that headline.
The MSM are so incredibly irresponsible, no wonder people are heightened and anxious about life. Ignore this article. President Elect Donald Trump will be sworn in. This is just a stupid article that is taking moments out of your precious time and life. Don’t give them the pleasure of taking anything from you. They don’t deserve it. They are scum.
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