Could someone clarify the “rules” on such things...?
You have a candidate who campaigns for months, gets the nomination, then bows out later for whatever reason - health, corruption... but only to have someone else step in as a replacement?? How can this possibly be fair ? Has this ever happened before ?
Toricelli-Lautenberg ... New Jersey. See this article from 2002.
I think it's a little more complicated than a state election (like what happened to Torricelli in New Jersey), because each state has deadline for getting on the ballot, or changing the ballot.
The deadline had actually passed in New Jersey when Torricelli was replaced, but the Democratic courts didn't rally care about state law. No surprise there.
But many of the states would not give in so easy, so I think if there is a change it has to happen before or at the convention.
Or, in Missouri, our candidate for Senator was killed a few weeks before the election, far too late to have the ballot changed. He was the sitting governor, and his successor said that if the dead candidate was elected, he would name the widow as his replacement. And that's exactly what happened.
So, you might see a case where Clinton is still on the ballot, but the Electors might make a promise to vote for Biden.
‘You have a candidate who campaigns for months, gets the nomination, then bows out later for whatever reason - health, corruption... but only to have someone else step in as a replacement?? How can this possibly be fair ?’
If they dare try it, Sanders’ supporters will be on the warpath.
Or assassination. Imagine BOTH The Hildabeast and The Donald are assassinated.
How can this possibly be fair ?
Fair? Fair? What has fair got to do with politics????
Has this ever happened before ?
First time for everything (although this would be the second time for an American Civil War)