2016 electoral college voting **live commentary thread**

[justfollowingtheelections]

A faithless Democratic elector in Minnesota also voted for Bernie but his vote was declared invalid.
I'm guessing there will still be some Bernie votes in Washington and Colorado.

[justfollowingtheelections]

This was David Bright, the Maine faithless elector said:

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[justfollowingtheelections]

Faith Spotted Eagle is a Native American leader.

[justfollowingtheelections]

What a pathetic delegation. WA state is a waste!

No the electoral college is a waste of space.  Washington is a freedom state and they prove it once again today.

[justfollowingtheelections]

This is Faith Spotted Eagle:

[justfollowingtheelections]

Lol, it really is coming down to Texas. The suspense is killing me.

Are you serious?

[justfollowingtheelections]

Texas votes for Louie Gohmert, a true conservative, yeehaw.  The vote goes to the House and Louie Gohmert becomes president.

[justfollowingtheelections]

So a total of 5 women received a vote for Vice-President.  Impressive.

[justfollowingtheelections]

Bernie weighs in:

Bernie Sanders ✔ @SenSanders
Trump received 2.5 million fewer votes than Clinton, yet he'll soon be president. Clearly, in a democratic society, this shouldn't happen.
 Follow
 Bernie Sanders ✔ @SenSanders
We need to change the electoral college.

[justfollowingtheelections]

FAITHLESS ELECTOR IN MINNESOTA, PREVENTED BY MINNESOTA LAW.

Was he trying to vote for John Ewards again?

Does anyone know what happened in 2004 and who did he vote for VP?

In 2004, voting in Minnesota was by secret ballot. One elector apparently got confused and marked both ballots for Edwards.

Since then, Minnesota has enacted the model faithless elector act which is quite elaborate.

(1) Electors must pledge to vote for their party's presidential candidate;
(2) The Certificate of Ascertainment from the governor notes that vacancies might occur prior to the end of the meeting;
(3) A vote is not considered "cast" until the Secretary of State examines it and determines that the vote is consistent with the pledge.
(4) If an elector refuses to present a ballot, presents an unmarked ballot, or presents a ballot marked in violation of the elector's pledge, his position is deemed vacant.
(5) Vacancies are filled by an elaborate procedure:
    (a) Each elector has an alternate (Minnesota parties name 10 electors and 10 alternates).
    (b) If the alternate is not available, then one is chosen by lot from among the other alternates.
    (c) If no alternates are available, then other electors choose someone who is available, and willing
          to take the pledge and then vote.
    (c.i) If it is a tie vote, the replacement is chosen by lot.
    (d) If there are no electors, the SOS can appoint 1, who then begins the process of filling the vacancies.

Pretty silly to even have people as electors at all though if they are required to vote for the candidate to whom they are pledged. Why not just eliminate the middleman?

I mean, I get that the literal answer to that in Minnesota's case is because it wouldn't be constitutional, but the whole "you must vote this way, or else" thing is something you'd expect from a tinhorn dictator.

The more we learn about the electoral college, the more stupid it sounds.

[justfollowingtheelections]

It's over, Trump is the President-elect. Kasich and Powell got votes from moderate Republicans who still are worried about the future of the party.

Powell's votes came from Democratic electors who wanted to give Republican electors in other states the incentive to vote for someone other than Trump.

[justfollowingtheelections]

The faithless elector that voted for Spotted Eagle:

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[justfollowingtheelections]

An incredible speech by the Maine elector that voted for Bernie:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mPNSty71_w