# Electoral College revolt? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 11, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529 "2016-11-11T19:20:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/61 "2016-11-12T22:41:24Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > This election begins to sound as though it occurred in a banana republic. Trump does seem dedicated bringing Venezuelan style prosperity and security to the US. > [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](#): > > So we could still have President Mitt Romney after all, thanks to the EC. What do you think of that? I think it is uninformed fantasy that this could occur or would be accepted. As horrifying as it is to see in text, Donald Trump won this election, even if he missed the popular vote by a fraction of a percent. Short of dying, displaying clear signs of criminal insanity, or literally murdering someone, he’s going to be inaugurated on January 20th. Instead of trying to imagine some bizarre scenario where the Electoral College goes into mass revolt (and they won’t; as much as the GOP leadership may not like Donald Trump, he led them to a victory that seemed highly challenging a few months ago) it is going to happen, and you are best to put your energies into figuring out how to minimize the damage and encourage a divide between the president and Congress. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/62 "2016-11-12T22:45:24Z")
> [@Jane\_Smythe](#): > > There are 538 electoral college votes. Changing 19 votes does not seem impossible. It’s not literally impossible, to be sure. But in my view, it’s fair to say it’s highly unlikely. And it’s even more unlikely to imagine the changed votes would be cast in favor of Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/63 "2016-11-12T23:30:21Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Only the Gore and Ms Clinton supporters. Everyone else thinks the system is fine. Shit, who do these people think they are, citizens? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/64 "2016-11-12T23:51:14Z")
I signed the petition. With a republican controlled house and senate, how many electors do I expect to switch their vote? ZERO. It is simply not happening. Get used to a big “T” on the flag. Probably his first and only policy. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/65 "2016-11-13T00:13:04Z")
Don’t forget that she only won the popular vote until we stopped counting. The absentee ballots only get counted if the election is close enough and absentee voters tend to favor republicans, military, overseas business folk, old people. Historically they break down 2/3 in favor of republicans. In fact when gore won by 500,000 votes there were 2 million absentee ballots in California alone. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/66 "2016-11-13T00:24:51Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Don’t forget that she only won the popular vote until we stopped counting. The absentee ballots only get counted if the election is close enough and absentee voters tend to favor republicans, military, overseas business folk, old people. Historically they break down 2/3 in favor of republicans. In fact when gore won by 500,000 votes there were 2 million absentee ballots in California alone. The absentee ballot/vote by mail/early voting has changed in recent years. Reports are that Democratic voters were voting early in several states, including throughout the South and in California. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/67 "2016-11-13T00:42:15Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > In a nutshell, this sums up the anti-democratic lunacy of the EC. > > It wasn’t created to give greater voice to rural voters. It was merely an elitist safeguard designed to prevent the great unwashed white property owners from making an unsavory choice. They may as well have said “fuck it” and installed a monarch. Oh, don’t sell it short. It also gave representation to the slave population without giving them an actual vote. Handy for getting the South to sign on. The stories we tell to justify our Founder-worship are infuriating. To the extent they were good men with good intentions, they would not have begrudged our fixing their jerry-rigged contraption held together by pragmatism and textual vagueness. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/68 "2016-11-13T00:51:16Z")
One advantage of the Electoral College over the popular vote is seen in this election. If there was a nationwide popular vote and it came down to a hair’s breath, every single state would have to recount their ballots. With the EC, only states that are close have to recount, and it only matters if they are the tipping point. I have to agree with the sentiment that the EC was designed to prevent demagogues from winning based on popularity alone, and that this election is exactly what was foreseen. Unfortunately, what was not foreseen was the rest of the trend in political developments that require a transition period that gets cut in half if we have to wait for mid-December to know who won. Unless enough electors come forward quickly to say that they’re not voting for Trump and are backing some other Republican who the House delegations will support for President, it’s not realistic to expect the EC to not, in general, vote for who they are “supposed to”. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/69 "2016-11-13T00:53:02Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Don’t forget that she only won the popular vote until we stopped counting. The absentee ballots only get counted if the election is close enough and absentee voters tend to favor republicans, military, overseas business folk, old people. Historically they break down 2/3 in favor of republicans. In fact when gore won by 500,000 votes there were 2 million absentee ballots in California alone. Do you have cites for these claims? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/70 "2016-11-13T01:12:17Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > It shouldn’t happen and it won’t happen, but it could. And that’s the problem. It would be a disaster. > > But…suppose Trump went completely berserk between now and Dec. 19th? Let’s say he vowed to nuke Iran on January 21st, and that he would be declaring martial law until all Muslims were removed from the country. Would you want the electors to use their power in that scenario? To vote for Pence yes. To vote for another Pub maybe. Not Clinton no. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/71 "2016-11-13T01:36:03Z")
If Trump had won the popular/lost the electoral, would you be demanding he be declared the winner? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/72 "2016-11-13T01:47:42Z")
> [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > If Trump had won the popular/lost the electoral, would you be demanding he be declared the winner? Who are you asking? I’m for abolition, so Trump would have simply won the vote. This isn’t a principle tied to a single election. Some pundits predicted that Trump would win the popular and Clinton the electoral this time around. It can happen either way. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/73 "2016-11-13T01:53:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What would be the point of having elections, if the electors can just decide to ignore the outcome? > > Yes, I realize they can do that in theory and some have even done so symbolically. But do we really want a few hundred people choosing the President for us to be the actual practice? Yes. And the fact that the system needs to be explained to educated adults is the primary reason. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/74 "2016-11-13T02:14:34Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Only the Gore and Ms Clinton supporters. Everyone else thinks the system is fine. That’s because the Republicans are the ones who keep squeaking out a victory despite losing the popular vote. They know more people vote Democratic, so a real democracy would be a disaster for them. ---
**Author:** ![sweat209](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@sweat209](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweat209)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/75 "2016-11-13T02:18:21Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Now some people are seriously saying the Electoral College may simply refuse to put Trump in office: > > [The one scenario that could still get Hillary into the White House](http://nypost.com/2016/11/09/the-one-scenario-that-could-still-get-hillary-into-the-white-house/) > > A few questions: Did Hillary’s concession speech mean she would not accept an Electoral College endorsement if it happened? If not Trump or Hillary than who? Given a Republican majority in both houses, would they refuse to certify the vote? > > My 2-¢: If rogue electors nullified Trump’s victory and put Hillary Clinton in the White House, open rebellion might not be just trash talk. There is nothing wrong with the Electoral College. The problem is the south and non urban centers through out US history always vote Republican party. The US has always been divided country. The loss over the civil war did nothing but made very divided country on out to this date. They should just allowed the south to form it’s own country for the better of both. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/76 "2016-11-13T02:21:17Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > That’s because the Republicans are the ones who keep squeaking out a victory despite losing the popular vote. They know more people vote Democratic, so a real democracy would be a disaster for them. if true, it would force the republicans to broaden their appeal instead of relying on rigged systems that subvert the will of the people. I see no downside. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/77 "2016-11-13T03:18:43Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > I’m not aware that Congress has to approve anything and I don’t think they do. The states have all the power to decide how to allot their electors. > [@friedo](#): > > Congress is only required to approve interstate compacts where matters of federal supremacy are involved. Each state has the right to appoint their Electors in any manner they choose, and there is no federal impediment to a bunch of states deciding to do so in the same way. The Constitution begs to differ > [@](#): > > No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of tonnage, keep troops, or ships of war in time of peace, **enter into any agreement or compact with another state** , or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay. Like I said, a state individually could decide to give their electors to the popular vote winner but they cannot enter into a compact without Congressional approval. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/78 "2016-11-13T03:32:56Z")
I wonder if there might be an issue with a State deciding on how their EC votes are allotted based upon how OTHER states vote / do theirs? Doing your own thing independently is one thing. Deciding how to do you thing based upon what others or doing or the results of others feels a bit different. I have this vague feeling that some lawyer could find some sorta issue with this. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/79 "2016-11-13T03:45:48Z")
Getting 19 or 20 electors to switch from Trump to Hillary is impossible. But what if Hillary made a statement requesting that all her electors vote for, say, Mitt Romney. How hard would it be to pick up that 19 or 20 then? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529/80 "2016-11-13T03:58:49Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Getting 19 or 20 electors to switch from Trump to Hillary is impossible. But what if Hillary made a statement requesting that all her electors vote for, say, Mitt Romney. How hard would it be to pick up that 19 or 20 then? And why would the Trump electors believe that they would? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-revolt/771529.md?page=5)