Maybe The Electoral College Will Come Through For Us

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Let's just hope Trump and Clinton can't get to that magic number and the Electoral College elects the best person for the job.

We can only hope...right?

[Belsnickel]

(10-15-2016, 05:55 AM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Let's just hope Trump and Clinton can't get to that magic number and the Electoral College elects the best person for the job.

We can only hope...right?

So, interesting fact, the electoral college is not technically beholden to what the voters decide. When you vote, you are voting for electors. The state assigns the electors and then they do their thing. But, they can go to Washington and cast their votes for whomever they please. Now, the parties pick the most loyal people to cast their votes and changing the vote would end any potential political future they may have, so it isn't common, but still.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

(10-15-2016, 12:14 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So, interesting fact, the electoral college is not technically beholden to what the voters decide. When you vote, you are voting for electors. The state assigns the electors and then they do their thing. But, they can go to Washington and cast their votes for whomever they please. Now, the parties pick the most loyal people to cast their votes and changing the vote would end any potential political future they may have, so it isn't common, but still.

Yeah I know this, I was just thinking if neither one gets to 273 then the horse trading can begin and the electors can vote someone other than Trump or Hillary.

[Belsnickel]

(10-15-2016, 05:12 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Yeah I know this, I was just thinking if neither one gets to 273 then the horse trading can begin and the electors can vote someone other than Trump or Hillary.

I wasn't assuming you didn't, just some general info. If neither one reaches 270, though, then it isn't up to the electors. That would be up to the House for POTUS and Senate for VP. The interesting question would be if that would have to wait until the new Congress is in session. Since the electoral votes aren't counted in Congress until 06 January, then they technically wouldn't have the authority to act until then, would be my understanding. This could mean that if the Dems tale the Senate, we could see a GOP POTUS and a Dem VP.

[BmorePat87]

(10-15-2016, 06:46 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I wasn't assuming you didn't, just some general info. If neither one reaches 270, though, then it isn't up to the electors. That would be up to the House for POTUS and Senate for VP. The interesting question would be if that would have to wait until the new Congress is in session. Since the electoral votes aren't counted in Congress until 06 January, then they technically wouldn't have the authority to act until then, would be my understanding. This could mean that if the Dems tale the Senate, we could see a GOP POTUS and a Dem VP.

Yea, previously when we discussed this, I thought it was the outgoing Congress, like in 1800 and 1824, but the 20th Amendment changed it to the incoming Congress.

There's no telling who would win if this happened until we see how the Congressional election pans out.

[Belsnickel]

So, it's not likely that this will happen, I do think that Clinton will get to 270, but if neither she nor Trump does the top three candidates (based on electoral votes, I believe) will go to the House and Senate. Right now, Johnson and Stein aren't going to be in that as there is no state that they gain the electoral votes in. McMullin, though, has a serious chance of winning Utah I think. This would mean that Trump, Clinton, and McMullin would go to the House. Unless the GOP unifies behind one of them, this would be a very interesting fight.

[BmorePat87]

(10-17-2016, 11:32 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: So, it's not likely that this will happen, I do think that Clinton will get to 270, but if neither she nor Trump does the top three candidates (based on electoral votes, I believe) will go to the House and Senate. Right now, Johnson and Stein aren't going to be in that as there is no state that they gain the electoral votes in. McMullin, though, has a serious chance of winning Utah I think. This would mean that Trump, Clinton, and McMullin would go to the House. Unless the GOP unifies behind one of them, this would be a very interesting fight.

Based off current polling, I'm guessing Hillary wins 340 electoral votes. That's with her losing Utah. 

[Belsnickel]

(10-17-2016, 11:47 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Based off current polling, I'm guessing Hillary wins 340 electoral votes. That's with her losing Utah. 

Yeah, I don't think it is likely. Every map I have seen, save one, has Hillary hitting at least 272 and losing Utah. Just kind of talking about this sort of stuff because, in all honesty, the actual election math at this point is a boring topic. The media circus will go on, but I'm not too focused on it. Unless there is a huge revelation against Clinton, and we are talking larger than anything ever before seen, then the election math will continue to be in her favor.