# Donald Trump Wins Electoral College Election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 19, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191 "2016-12-19T23:18:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ultimate11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/49beb7/32.png) [@ultimate11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultimate11)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/1 "2016-12-19T23:18:53Z")
To prevent anyone from saying I posted fake news (at least, according to the mainstream media). I’ve got multiple sources. Results posted [NY Times](http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/19/us/elections/electoral-college-results.html), [ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/electoral-college-members-meeting-country-cast-votes/story?id=44279798), [Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/19/electoral-college-meets-to-formally-elect-trump-amid-protests.html), [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/19/politics/electoral-college-donald-trump-vote/), and [WGN (Chicago)](http://wgntv.com/2016/12/19/trump-wins-electoral-college-vote-presidency/). Also [NBC News](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/electoral-college-vote-seals-trump-white-house-victory-n698026), [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-electoral-college-is-poised-to-pick-trump-despite-push-to-dump-him/2016/12/19/75265c16-c58f-11e6-85b5-76616a33048d_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_electoral-college-640a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory), and [CBS News](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/electoral-college-state-by-state-voting-schedule/). (If you are just here for the articles, ignore my little perspective below). In my perspective, there was no doubt Trump was winning the electoral college election. I was sure that that would be 1 or 2 votes that Trump wouldn’t get, and more sure that Clinton wasn’t immune to losing electoral votes too. I’ve got a source via [NPR](http://www.npr.org/2016/12/19/506188169/donald-trump-poised-to-secure-electoral-college-win-with-few-surprises). (I’m surprised I was the only person to think that way). Regardless, I knew the election was over after November 9th, much as everyone wanted the election to turn, it wasn’t going to happen. I knew it right away, and I’m ashamed at people who think otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/2 "2016-12-19T23:25:32Z")
It speaks volumes about Trump’s qualifications, or rather lack thereof, that this is even headline news. In every other election, the EC vote is just a formality. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/3 "2016-12-19T23:37:51Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > It speaks volumes about Trump’s qualifications, or rather lack thereof, that this is even headline news. In every other election, the EC vote is just a formality. As it turned out to be today. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/4 "2016-12-20T00:17:13Z")
Buy popcorn stocks. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/5 "2016-12-20T00:24:06Z")
Yeah, no surprise. It had to turn out that way, or else lead to one of the worst constitutional crises in our history, worse even than Hayes/Tilden. It probably wouldn’t have led to a civil war, but it definitely would have led to violence. Also, the mid-term elections in 2018 would have been utterly disastrous for the Democrats. As someone once said, “White people riot at the polls.” ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/6 "2016-12-20T00:25:10Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > It speaks volumes about Trump’s qualifications, or rather lack thereof, that this is even headline news. In every other election, the EC vote is just a formality. It’s only in the news because some crazy Democrats tried really hard to make it an issue. They failed. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/7 "2016-12-20T00:26:14Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > As someone once said, “White people riot at the polls.” Which is less exciting, but more effective 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/8 "2016-12-20T00:31:01Z")
So, friends, what’s next on the “I hate Trump and don’t want him to be president” menu? Ask Congress to refuse to certify the electoral college vote totals? Lobby Chief Justice Roberts to refuse to administer the oath of office? Hope he misspeaks while reciting the oath? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/9 "2016-12-20T00:37:55Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Which is less exciting, but more effective 😃 Well, the lack of angry angry Korean store owners at my polling place did make it both less exciting and easier for me. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/10 "2016-12-20T00:39:26Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Well, the lack of angry angry Korean store owners at my polling place did make it both less exciting and easier for me. Roof Koreans are my favorite minority. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/11 "2016-12-20T00:43:16Z")
I’m amused that neither faithless Trump elector voted for Pence. 🆒 Neither did any of Clinton’s electors actually mange to vote for Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/12 "2016-12-20T00:44:23Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > It speaks volumes about Trump’s qualifications, or rather lack thereof, that this is even headline news. In every other election, the EC vote is just a formality. Rather it speaks volumes about the continual attempts of sore loser Democrats to de-legitimize Trump’s election. Some of them are even blaming Hillary Clinton for not backing them in their pathetic efforts. She at least had more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/13 "2016-12-20T00:46:56Z")
Anyone have the final EC tally? I thought at least 4 or 5 Trump electors would defect elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/14 "2016-12-20T00:48:52Z")
First Trump won on Nov 8th. Then he won when his margin of victory increased in WI after recount. Now he won by increasing the electoral vote margin in the final count. Democrats seem to be determined to make Trump win again and again. You will be tired of winning, he warned… ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/15 "2016-12-20T00:54:06Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Roof Koreans are my favorite minority. Well, they are on a higher plane of existence. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/16 "2016-12-20T00:59:00Z")
What? The electoral college didn’t reject Trump? That is quite the disappointment considering the intrepid course, electors of the past have voted: • In the election of 2004, one electoral vote was cast for John Edwards. • In the election of 2000, one electoral vote was not cast. • In the election of 1988, one electoral vote went to Lloyd Bentsen. • In the election of 1976, one electoral vote went to Ronald Reagan. • In the election of 1972, one electoral vote went to John Hospers. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/17 "2016-12-20T00:59:43Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Anyone have the final EC tally? According to [the NYT](http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/19/us/elections/electoral-college-results.html) Donald Trump = 304 Hillary Clinton = 224 Colin Powell = 3 John Kasich = 1 Ron Paul = 1 Faith Spotted Eagle = 1 We’re missing 4 votes, I’m guessing Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![ultimate11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/49beb7/32.png) [@ultimate11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultimate11)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/18 "2016-12-20T01:04:12Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Anyone have the final EC tally? I thought at least 4 or 5 Trump electors would defect elsewhere. My [NY times](http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/19/us/elections/electoral-college-results.html) source has the results. There were more electors that voted against _Clinton_ than Trump, twice more. And BTW, in 2004, the rebel vote was (I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again) for “John Ewards”, not John Edwards. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/19 "2016-12-20T01:17:23Z")
If I was a “John Ewards”, I’d be making a real thing of that until I died. 😛 Three other electors attempted to be faithless. One was beaten into submission in Maine, where he cast his vote for Hillary Clinton (after attempting to cast it for Bernie Sanders, which apparently violated some aspect of Maine’s laws or sensibilities (with Mainers, you never know…)). The other two (one in Minnesota and one in Colorado) were replaced by electors who promptly did their duty and voted for Hillary Clinton. I find the bit about the Minnesota elector interesting. In 2004, if I’m not mis-remembering, it was a Minnesota elector who wrote in “John Ewards” for President. The trouble was they didn’t know who it was, because the ballots were secret. Obviously, that has changed, unless they replaced the elector because of a stated intention to be faithless before actually voting (I haven’t heard the full story there). And yes, as I’ve been noting in several threads here on the Board, the brouhaha over the EC vote has been much ado about nothing, mostly stirred up by Democrats and media members who still haven’t come to terms with the result. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191/20 "2016-12-20T01:47:54Z")
Yes, **ultimate11** is quite right about that 2004 “faithless elector” casting his vote for John Ewards. > **[Faithless elector](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector#2000_to_present)** > > In the United States Electoral College, a faithless elector is an elector who does not vote for the candidates for U.S. President and U.S. Vice President for whom the elector had pledged to vote, and instead votes for another person for one or both offices or abstains from voting. As part of United States presidential elections, each state selects the method by which its electors are to be selected, which in modern times has been based on a popular vote in most states, and generally requires it... [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-wins-electoral-college-election/775191.md?page=2)