2016 elections - because it's never too early

[derspiess]

I don't think we have had a modern election where more than one elector went faithless on the Presidential candidate.

Which reminds me:  how many of you actually learned in high school--or learned and forgot--about electors and how they vote?

All I was told was it was a "rubber stamp" without much discussion beyond that.  Had to read up on my own when I looked at some old elections and noticed some odd electoral vote tallies.

[Legbiter]

I heard on the radio that one elector in Maine (?) voted for Bernie.

edit: looking on the map, it was not Maine.  Not sure who they said it was now.

He did.

A Maine elector who attempted to cast his vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Monday switched his vote over to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton after his ballot was ruled invalid.

Elector David Bright's ballot for Sanders triggered a second vote, according to a local NBC affiliate, at which point he voted for Clinton.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/311017-maine-elector-switches-sanders-vote-to-clinton

[Admiral Yi]

I do remember the one Reagan elector who voted for Ford.

[derspiess]

I heard on the radio that one elector in Maine (?) voted for Bernie.

edit: looking on the map, it was not Maine.  Not sure who they said it was now.

Huh. Legbiter posted that tweet it was from Maine. Possible OMG fake news.

We need to put all our news here through the Facebook filter to know if it's fake or not. 

[Valmy]

I do remember the one Reagan elector who voted for Ford.

Other way around. But yes.

There has been a singular oddball elector in a few elections. To have four, much less from one state, is pretty bizarre.

[Valmy]

I heard on the radio that one elector in Maine (?) voted for Bernie.

edit: looking on the map, it was not Maine.  Not sure who they said it was now.

He did.

A Maine elector who attempted to cast his vote for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Monday switched his vote over to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton after his ballot was ruled invalid.

Elector David Bright's ballot for Sanders triggered a second vote, according to a local NBC affiliate, at which point he voted for Clinton.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/311017-maine-elector-switches-sanders-vote-to-clinton

Ok then he didn't really vote for Bernie now did he?

[derspiess]

He voted for.....Faith Spotted Eagle.

An unexpected contender.

That was probably the Injun elector who earlier said he would not cast his EV for Hillary.

My guess is the vote is a Keystone Pipeline protest.  Just googled Ms. Spotted Eagle.  She's apparently from South Dakota and is an anti-pipeline activist.

[Legbiter]

He voted for.....Faith Spotted Eagle.

An unexpected contender.

That was probably the Injun elector who earlier said he would not cast his EV for Hillary.

If this timeline fractures further and she becomes president I'm flying over to South Korea to stop Tim. 

[Admiral Yi]

My guess is the vote is a Keystone Pipeline protest.  Just googled Ms. Spotted Eagle.  She's apparently from South Dakota and is an anti-pipeline activist.

Could be two great tastes that go great together.

[Barrister]

My guess is the vote is a Keystone Pipeline protest.  Just googled Ms. Spotted Eagle.  She's apparently from South Dakota and is an anti-pipeline activist.

Could be two great tastes that go great together.

Two great tastes that taste great together!!!111oneoneone

Get your thirty-year-old pop culture references right, or don't make them at all!

[Admiral Yi]

30 year old pop culture reference Nazi. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Fun question: Is the Minn faithful elector law constitutional?

Constitutional!!

Maybe

Problem is the 12th amendment doesn't seem to permit the state SoS to have the role conferred by the Minnesota statute.  It says that the Electors are to meet . . . "they" shall name the President and VP, "they" shall make the lists, "they" shall sign and certify, and they shall transmit the results.  There doesn't appear to be any place or role here for the SoS to be reviewing, tallying, or certifying Elector ballots, and that role is the key mechanism for enforcing faithfulness

[Valmy]

My guess is the vote is a Keystone Pipeline protest.  Just googled Ms. Spotted Eagle.  She's apparently from South Dakota and is an anti-pipeline activist.

Could be two great tastes that go great together.

Two great tastes that taste great together!!!111oneoneone

Get your thirty-year-old pop culture references right, or don't make them at all!

Eat my shorts. That is totally bogus. Cowabunga.

[Admiral Yi]

Maybe

Problem is the 12th amendment doesn't seem to permit the state SoS to have the role conferred by the Minnesota statute.  It says that the Electors are to meet . . . "they" shall name the President and VP, "they" shall make the lists, "they" shall sign and certify, and they shall transmit the results.  There doesn't appear to be any place or role here for the SoS to be reviewing, tallying, or certifying Elector ballots, and that role is the key mechanism for enforcing faithfulness

The 12th doesn't, but Article II implies it, and doesn't expressly forbid it.

[CountDeMoney]

Doesn't strike me as a big federal government fan.