2016 Postmortem

Jim Lane

(11,175 posts)

42. At least some states have alternate electors.

Mon Dec 19, 2016, 05:06 AM

Dec 2016

Maybe all do, I'm not sure (and I won't bother to look it up because this whole line of thinking is pure fantasy).

But, while we're fantasizing, suppose 50 or so Trump electors had been to a victory party last week when the roof collapsed and they all died. Even that wouldn't have elected Clinton, because many or all of the deceased electors would have been replaced by alternates.

Before the election, the state party submits a slate of names of would-be electors plus a full set of alternates. I'll hazard a guess that, if an elector doesn't show up, one of the alternates could be hastily summoned to the meeting.

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Electors can just as easily not vote at all and prevent Trump [View all] Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 OP

How does that prevent trump? Johnathan146 Dec 2016 #1

That is correct. If 270 votes isn't acheived, then it goes to the house still_one Dec 2016 #3

If there are abstentions then the threshhold is lower kudzu22 Dec 2016 #23

I don't believe that is accurate. Abstentions do take away from the total electoral votes of 538 still_one Dec 2016 #25

You may be right kudzu22 Dec 2016 #32

The electoral college is such a sham. The best we can hope for is that enough republican candidates still_one Dec 2016 #35

It'll put congress on the spotlight and give them the chance to pick a normal republican Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #6

The only ones that can be sarisataka Dec 2016 #12

Ten democratic electors have said they will Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #13

So you need that sarisataka Dec 2016 #21

More likely that a house doesn't vote for rump Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #27

That is right, however, if the republican electors get together, they can choose a different still_one Dec 2016 #28

He still wins in that scenario because the vote then goes to the House and they will elect him. LonePirate Dec 2016 #2

But most republicans don't like Trump TexasMommaWithAHat Dec 2016 #4

My point exactly :) Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #7

Not. A. Chance onenote Dec 2016 #8

No way kudzu22 Dec 2016 #24

I really hope they do, but the odds are against it still_one Dec 2016 #36

The Constitution only allows the House to pick from the top 3 electoral vote getters... PoliticAverse Dec 2016 #5

It will only take one person to pick an alternative republican Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #9

Ten democratic electors are voting for a Republican rather than Clinton tomorrow? n/t PoliticAverse Dec 2016 #15

Yep Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #29

I would like to see it go to Congress because it would be public and in the open. femmocrat Dec 2016 #10

Trump electors can cast a vote for any fictional being. If his elector count falls below Hillary's.. dubyadiprecession Dec 2016 #11

Um no sarisataka Dec 2016 #16

A 269-269 tie goes to the house. dubyadiprecession Dec 2016 #19

That is what I said sarisataka Dec 2016 #22

Not zero. Republicans can be split while democrats unite behind clinton Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #30

It doesn't work that way at all SickOfTheOnePct Dec 2016 #37

Actually you are wrong. Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #40

Not according to the Constitution n/t SickOfTheOnePct Dec 2016 #43

That is wildly inaccurate. Ace Rothstein Dec 2016 #17

If neither candidate gets 270 electoral votes it goes to the House. PoliticAverse Dec 2016 #18

Totally, 100% wrong n/t SickOfTheOnePct Dec 2016 #38

I was just thinking the same thing. They would have to climb into his rzemanfl Dec 2016 #14

Give it up already. The Repubs in the House who voted against Trump getting the Presidency onenote Dec 2016 #20

the fact they supported him in the first place means there is little chance of them not supporting JI7 Dec 2016 #26

Absolutely. There is a very remote possibility that enough of the republican electors could choose still_one Dec 2016 #31

But think MFM008 Dec 2016 #33

Republican electors are going to vote for Trump oberliner Dec 2016 #34

Claim a sudden case of stomach flu and don't show up Liberty Belle Dec 2016 #39

This. Tiggeroshii Dec 2016 #41

At least some states have alternate electors. Jim Lane Dec 2016 #42