Ok, so basically how an Election works is this:
We vote for our Presidential Choice today in the National Election. The Candidate who wins the popular / majority vote in each state is the Choice Candidate for that State (except in like 2 states). That pledges x number of people from the Electoral College towards that Candidate- that number of pledges being equal to its representation in the Senate and House of Representatives… So Oklahoma, for instance, pledges 7 people towards the Candidate who wins their State during the National Election- but California pledges 55, and Texas 38, etc.
About 5 weeks after our Election (today), the Electoral College casts their votes. Generally they tend to respect the votes of their States, and vote for that candidate which their State pledged them towards. Even though they usually do, however, they don’t have to; very few states have laws on the books which specify legal ramifications for voting against their pledge- and there is absolutely no Constitutional provisions requiring them to vote for their pledge. Meaning practically any of the Electoral College members can “turn tail” if they don’t agree with their State’s choice of Candidate.
Those that do vote against their pledge are generally called Faithless Electors… In other words, a Faithless Elector is a member of the United States Electoral College who either chooses to abstain from voting, or chooses to vote for a candidate other than the Candidate they are pledged to vote for during the National Election.
And while I doubt it’ll happen because it has only happened once in history? On my ancestor’s grave, I genuinely hope that the majority of Trumps pledges turn tail and either don’t vote at all, resign, or vote Clinton instead.
from Tumblr https://prettyarbitrary.tumblr.com/post/152966492900