Electoral College
TommyC1776:
Can someone explain how the electoral college works? If a candidate wins the popular vote in that state do they win the electoral votes of that state?
TommyC1776:
But, aren't there people who are "Electoral College" voters? So, if the popular vote makes a candidate win the Electoral college then the EV voters can't vote for who they like?
KEmperor:
Quote from: KucinichforPrez on June 13, 2004, 10:13:54 AM
But, aren't there people who are "Electoral College" voters? So, if the popular vote makes a candidate win the Electoral college then the EV voters can't vote for who they like?
Huh?
Peter:
Quote from: KucinichforPrez on June 13, 2004, 10:13:54 AM
But, aren't there people who are "Electoral College" voters? So, if the popular vote makes a candidate win the Electoral college then the EV voters can't vote for who they like?
The situation is as following in all states and DC minus NE and ME:
Winner takes all - i.e. if one candidate wins the popular vote in that particular state, he takes all of its electoral votes, the state legislature then appoints this candidates electors (the people who actually vote for President in the electoral college). Some states require their electors by law to vote for the winner of the popular vote, however some do not, although one presumes that they will remain loyal to their candidate as they are usually trusted party figures. In some cases, voters have been known to become "faithless" and have either abstained (as occured with one Gore DC elector in 2000) or have voted for other candidates (one Dukakis elector did so in 1988, as did one Ford elector in 1976, I'm sure there are other examples). I don't know if an elector has flat out voted for the other side, but it is not impossible.
Fritz:
Basically when you cast your vote for President, you aren't voting for the candidate, rather you are voting for the slate of electors that has been set up by the party. As GfP points out, occasionally an elector casts a ballot other than the one he was elected to cast. I don't believe there has ever been a case where an elector has flat-out voted for the other side. If that did happen, and it actually made a difference in the election, I'm sure that it would be challenged in Congress, the state's supreme court, the federal supreme court....it would be quite a fireworks display. However, "faithless" electors have been more interested in making a statement than in making a difference.
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