What happened to faithless electors in the 2016 presidential election?
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What happened to faithless electors in the 2016 presidential election?
As a result of the seven successfully cast faithless votes, the Democratic Party nominee, Hillary Clinton, lost five of her pledged electors while the Republican Party nominee and then president-elect, Donald Trump, lost two.
What is the law on faithless electors?
Neither the U.S. Constitution nor federal statutes address the concept of “faithless electors.” This issue is reserved to the states. A majority of states and the District of Columbia have laws on the books that require electors to pledge to cast their votes for their parties’ nominees for President and Vice President.
Has the Electoral College ever changed the outcome of an election?
Yes. Despite legal oversight, there have been 167 electors who have not cast their votes for the candidates who they were designated to represent. However, no elector has ever changed the outcome of an election by changing or abstaining from their designated vote.
What is meant by a faithless elector quizlet?
Faithless elector. a elector who doesn’t cast a vote or votes for a candidate other than the one that they are pledged too. Twentieth Amendment.
What happens if neither presidential candidate wins 270 electoral votes?
If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the Presidential election leaves the Electoral College process and moves to Congress. The House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most electoral votes.
Which electoral votes were faithless in 2016?
Electoral College Certificates and Votes by State
| State | Number of Electoral Votes for Each State | For Vice-President |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 9 | 9 |
| Connecticut | 7 | 7 |
| Delaware | 3 | 3 |
| District of Columbia | 3 | 3 |
What is the penalty for faithless electors?
In California a faithless elector may face a fine or imprisonment for up to 3 years for casting a faithless vote.
What happens if neither presidential candidate receives 270 electoral votes?
What are the three major flaws of the Electoral College?
Three criticisms of the College are made:
- It is “undemocratic;”
- It permits the election of a candidate who does not win the most votes; and.
- Its winner-takes-all approach cancels the votes of the losing candidates in each state.
Can a state’s electoral votes be split?
Under the District Method, a State’s electoral votes can be split among two or more candidates, just as a state’s congressional delegation can be split among multiple political parties. As of 2008, Nebraska and Maine are the only states using the District Method of distributing electoral votes.
Which is a constitutional qualification to be president?
According to Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the president must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, be at least 35 years old, and have been a resident of the United States for 14 years.
What power does the US Constitution give the president?
The Constitution explicitly assigns the president the power to sign or veto legislation, command the armed forces, ask for the written opinion of their Cabinet, convene or adjourn Congress, grant reprieves and pardons, and receive ambassadors.
What is a faithless elector?
“Faithless Electors” are members of the Electoral College who, for whatever reason, do not vote for their party’s designated candidate.
What happens if there’s a skirmish in the Electoral College?
If an election comes down to a skirmish in the Electoral College, what actually happens will likely depend on a patchwork of state laws and constitutional checks. In Washington state, for example, it’s technically illegal for an elector to break his pledge to his party, although the ramifications are minimal and no elector has ever been prosecuted.
What happens if only one person objects to the Electoral College?
If just one House member and one senator objects to the way that the Electoral College vote played out—for example, if a faithless elector swings the final tally—then the new members can retreat to chambers to vote on what to do about it. If the House and Senate agree, their decision is final.
What was the closest electoral college win in history?
The closest Electoral College margin was in 2000, when Republican George W. Bush received 271 electoral votes compared to 266 for Democratic candidate Al Gore. One openly faithless elector, Barbara Lett Simmons from Washington, D.C., left her ballot blank.