Court says Electoral College Electors not Bound by Popular Vote

[EvilEyeFleegle]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

 

[wamose]

So what happens when the DNC and RNC get into a bidding war to bribe electors. What if both parties decide it's cheaper to bribe electors than it is to campaign?

 

[JoeB131]

That's nice and all... but they pick electors on the basis of party loyalty.... so the chances of that happening are... thin.

 

[Meathead]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

Would make an election pointless, wouldn't it?

 

[mudwhistle]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

Would make an election pointless, wouldn't it?

Maybe if the Democrats accused all of the electors of sexual-assault right before the election....the Democrats can win without having an election.

 

[WinterBorn]

The electors have never been legally required to cast their vote as the voters told them.

 

[TNHarley]

The electors have never been legally required to cast their vote as the voters told them.

I already thought people knew this lol

 

[Snouter]

It is funny dems suddenly are indifferent to "civil rights" and "voting rights" when a court somehow overrides the US Constitution to favor their attack on our democracy.

 

[my2¢]

Thread title should properly be: Court says Electoral College Electors are Bound by Popular Vote. Every 4 years in November we vote for those that will be our state's members of the electoral college. Court ruled you can't toss away the ballot of a member we elected to the EC.

Media neglects the Constitution and plays it up as if folks are directly electing a president.

 

[WinterBorn]

The electors have never been legally required to cast their vote as the voters told them.

I already thought people knew this lol

I think a lot of people should know things, but are completely unaware.

 

[rightwinger]

How much $$$ does it cost to buy off an elector?

 

[Crixus]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

This isn't a new thing. The first time I heard about revolting electors was during Bush vs Gore. Big deal.

 

[Dick Foster]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

Either way it'll go up before the SCOTUS.

 

[iceberg]

The electors have never been legally required to cast their vote as the voters told them.

I already thought people knew this lol

yea, i'm sitting here going "duh - i learned this in 2nd grade civics".

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

The Corrupt Democratic Party cannot operate within the laws of our constitution, therefore they get crooked left wing judges to bypass the constitution.

 

[HappyJoy]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

The Corrupt Democratic Party cannot operate within the laws of our constitution, therefore they get crooked left wing judges to bypass the constitution.

Can you quote in the Constitution what exactly it is that you're talking about?

 

[BlindBoo]

Thread title should properly be: Court says Electoral College Electors are Bound by Popular Vote.

Weelllll yeah sure but "presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states." is how they ruled.

 

[WinterBorn]

The electors can vote as they wish...regardless of the election results:

Faithless elector: A court ruling just changed how we pick our president

"A federal appeals court ruled late Tuesday that presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states.
The decision could give a single elector the power to decide the outcome of a presidential election — if the popular vote results in an apparent Electoral College tie.
"This issue could be a ticking time bomb in our divided politics. It's not hard to imagine how a single faithless elector, voting differently than his or her state did, could swing a close presidential election," said Mark Murray, NBC News senior political editor.
It hasn't been much of an issue in American political history because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state simply throws the ballot away. But Tuesday's ruling says states cannot do that.
The decision, from a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, is a victory for Micheal Baca, a Colorado Democratic elector in 2016. Under state law, he was required to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, who won the state's popular vote. Instead, he crossed out her name and wrote in John Kasich, a Republican and then the governor of Ohio.
The secretary of state removed Baca as an elector, discarded his vote and brought in another elector who voted for Clinton. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court said the nullification of Baca's vote was unconstitutional."

The Corrupt Democratic Party cannot operate within the laws of our constitution, therefore they get crooked left wing judges to bypass the constitution.

The members of the electoral college have never been required to cast their vote as the voters decreed. This is not a democratic party thing. It is the way it was setup.

 

[petro]

How would split electors be a bad thing?
For decades just a few urban counties around the Twin Cities by population erase all votes by rural districts when the state goes full blue.
Hillary won all MN's 10 electoral votes by only a margin of 70 thousand popular votes in a winner take all. If the electors were split among the 8 Congressional districts half those votes would have went to Trump.

MN is determined by the media as a liberal state when the reality is most counties are red and get literally outvoted by 3 or 4 urban counties.
I would welcome split electors as my district is red and I would feel more represented.

 

[my2¢]

Thread title should properly be: Court says Electoral College Electors are Bound by Popular Vote.

Weelllll yeah sure but "presidential electors who cast the actual ballots for president and vice president are free to vote as they wish and cannot be required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states." is how they ruled.

Here's how I would interpret the court's ruling:
These electors are result of state elections and are free to vote as they wish, just like it would be unconstitutional for a state to require its representatives in congress to only vote in accordance with his/her political party.