[EM] question about electoral college in the USA

[robert bristow-johnson]

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Subject: [EM] question about electoral college in the USA

From: "Forest Simmons" <fsimmons at pcc.edu>

Date: Tue, June 21, 2016 9:18 pm

To: "EM" <election-methods at lists.electorama.com>

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> In a recent counterpunch article Dave Lindorff suggested that Sanders

> should go ahead and run on the Green ticket, but with the following

> agreement: if Trump gets more electoral votes than either Clinton or

> Sanders, then (of these two) the one with lesser support should withdraw

> from the race and direct his electors (in the electoral college) to vote

> for the other.

>

> It seems reasonable, but I wonder if the rules really do allow that.

>
there is nothing in the U.S. Constitution nor federal law that prevents duly-elected electors from voting for whomever they want to vote for on January 6th.  since the electors are chosen according to state law, i think that some of the states might have law proscribing electors from
voting for anyone other than their pledge, but i dunno what the consequences would be if they didn't.  i sorta don't think that a state can stop an elector from voting for whom they want, but they could punish or sanction them somehow if it isn't whom they were pledged to vote.  i know
once in a while you might see *one* or two goofy votes in the tally of 538.
these folks are called "faithless electors", i think.
BTW, Bernie has made it clear that he is not running for prez as anything other than the Dem nominee.  to the chagrin and disbelief of some of
the Bernie or Bust crowd.  i am definitely a Bernie supporter and want him to go all the way to the convention with his delegates, but i am awful scared of Cap'n Combover being promoted to President.  and we have something like FPTP, so i recognize that my vote for any candidate other than
the runner up actually helps the winner.

--
r b-j                      rbj at audioimagination.com
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
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