Can someone explain to me what the point of electors are? We all vote as states where we want our electoral points to go but then we’re not really the ones who cast the vote in the end? It’s all up to a much smaller group of people who could potentially ignore the will of the voters and elect whoever they want? Why not just cut out the middle man and require the electoral votes to go to the candidate that won in each state?
They needed a way to to prevent smaller states from being at the mercy of huge states in a popular election. The number of electors a state gets is equal to the number of senators and reps they have in congress.
"Faithless electors" are relatively rare. In 2016 there were only 7 faithless electors out of 538, and the last time an elector crossed party lines was in 1972.
48 states and D.C. use Winner-Take-All, so whoever wins the state's popular vote will generally receive all of the electoral votes.
Maine and Nebraska use the District System; one vote is awarded to who wins the popular vote in each congressional district. The two remaining votes are given to the candidate with the most votes statewide.
Some states have laws that require electors to vote as pledged:
Alabama (Ala. Code §17-14-31)
Alaska (Alaska Stat. §15.30.090)
Arizona (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §16-212)
California (Cal. Elec. Code §6906)
Most of the laws cited above require electors to vote for the candidate of the party that nominated the elector, or require the elector to sign a pledge to do so. Some go further: Oklahoma imposes a civil penalty of $1,000; in North Carolina, the fine is $500, the faithless elector is deemed to have resigned, and a replacement is appointed. In South Carolina, an elector who violates his or her pledge is subject to criminal penalties, and in New Mexico a violation is a fourth degree felony. In Michigan, a candidate who fails to vote as required is considered to have resigned, and a replacement is appointed.
Can someone explain to me what the point of electors are? We all vote as states where we want our electoral points to go but then we’re not really the ones who cast the vote in the end? It’s all up to a much smaller group of people who could potentially ignore the will of the voters and elect whoever they want? Why not just cut out the middle man and require the electoral votes to go to the candidate that won in each state?
They needed a way to to prevent smaller states from being at the mercy of huge states in a popular election. The number of electors a state gets is equal to the number of senators and reps they have in congress.
"Faithless electors" are relatively rare. In 2016 there were only 7 faithless electors out of 538, and the last time an elector crossed party lines was in 1972.
48 states and D.C. use Winner-Take-All, so whoever wins the state's popular vote will generally receive all of the electoral votes.
Maine and Nebraska use the District System; one vote is awarded to who wins the popular vote in each congressional district. The two remaining votes are given to the candidate with the most votes statewide.
Some states have laws that require electors to vote as pledged:
Alabama (Ala. Code §17-14-31)
Alaska (Alaska Stat. §15.30.090)
Arizona (Ariz. Rev. Stat. §16-212) California (Cal. Elec. Code §6906)
Colorado (Colo. Rev. Stat. §1-4-304)
Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. §9-176)
Delaware (Del. Code Ann. tit. 15, §4303(b))
District of Columbia (D.C. Code §1-1001.08)
Florida (Fla. Stat. §103.021)Oregon (Or. Rev. Stat. §248.355)
Hawaii (Haw. Rev. Stat. §14-28)
Indiana (Ind. Code §3-10-4-1.7)
Iowa (Iowa Code §54.8)
Maine (Me. Stat. tit.21-A, §805)
Maryland (Md. Code Ann. §8-505)
Massachusetts (Mass Gen. Laws ch.53, §8)
Michigan (Mich. Comp. Laws §168.47)
Minnesota (Minn. Stat. §208.46)
Mississippi (Miss. Code Ann. §208.46)
Montana (Mont. Code Ann. §13-25-307)
Nebraska (Neb. Rev. Stat. §32-714)
Nevada (Nev. Rev. Stat. §298.075)
New Mexico (N.M. Stat. Ann. §1-15-9)
North Carolina (N.C. Gen. Stat. §163-212)
Oklahoma (Okla. Stat. tit.26 §10-102)
Ohio (Ohio Rev. Code §3505.40)
South Carolina (S.C. Code Ann. §7-19-80)
Tennessee (Tenn. Code Ann. §2-15-104)
Vermont (Vt. Stat. Ann. §2732)
Virginia (Va. Code Ann. §24.2-203)
Washington (Wash. Rev. Code §29A.56.090)
Wisconsin (Wis. Stat. §7.75)
Wyoming (Wyo. Stat. Ann. §22-19-108)
Most of the laws cited above require electors to vote for the candidate of the party that nominated the elector, or require the elector to sign a pledge to do so. Some go further: Oklahoma imposes a civil penalty of $1,000; in North Carolina, the fine is $500, the faithless elector is deemed to have resigned, and a replacement is appointed. In South Carolina, an elector who violates his or her pledge is subject to criminal penalties, and in New Mexico a violation is a fourth degree felony. In Michigan, a candidate who fails to vote as required is considered to have resigned, and a replacement is appointed.