No one can deny that the members of the Electoral College have the power to vote however they so choose. Though some states may have (unconstitutional) penalties for electors who change their votes, and though some people may consider it undemocratic to become “faithful electors” (in a rote way it is, but the allocation of electors to states and the winner-takes-all method in each already makes the process grossly undemocratic), the electors are sentient human beings, possessive of independent judgment and capable of acting accordingly.
The ascendancy of The Donald is a danger to the republic. He meets all of the disqualifications named by Alexander Hamilton in Federalist 68. I urge the Republican electors to fulfill their constitutional role and vote for a qualified candidate for president, whether that is Hillary Clinton, who won the popular vote by more than 2%, or an alternative compromise candidate. If the latter, I would recommend Mitt Romney, who I believe is the most legitimate alternative given that he won about as many general election votes in the most recent preceding presidential race.
If 37 or more Republican electors choose an alternative candidate and deny The Donald 270 electoral votes, then the election goes to the House of Representatives to choose among the top 3 electoral vote-getters. (The representatives get one vote per state delegation.) Or, if 270 or more Republican and Democratic electors chose an alternative candidate, that person is elected president directly.
Electors, you are politicians now, for a day perhaps the most powerful on Earth. It is vital for the you to communicate and decide upon that compromise candidate, since that 3rd-place vote-getter will be the only one available for the House to choose from aside from The Donald and Clinton. Make a deal.
Hamilton Electors who have taken up this awesome responsibility, we support you. You have the power to, in fair likelihood, save the country from fascism and perhaps (between the existential threats of nuclear war and global warming) save the planet.
For those Republican electors who still intend to vote for The Donald tomorrow, I have a question: what would it take to change your mind? Name any moral, legal, experience, temperament, or other principle-based threshold, and The Donald has already failed it. What would it take? Before it is too late tomorrow?
For those Democratic electors who are reluctant to make such a deal, it is the structure of the Electoral College that already makes it undemocratic. The majority of voters picked “not The Donald.” If 37 or more Republican electors take a principled stand and vote for Romney or Kasich, would you still vote for Clinton, knowing the House could still make The Donald president? Or would you try to stop him?
Tomorrow is a momentous day. Join a demonstration support of faithful electors in the morning at your state capitol:
Hamilton Electors
Vigils for America
December 19
If you live in the western part of the country, please click one of the above links now—there is still time tonight to join a vigil at your state capitol or in other cities.
The Electoral College Meets Monday. Here’s What to Expect. By EMMARIE HUETTEMAN, New York Times, DEC. 18, 2016
In last-shot bid, thousands urge electoral college to block Trump at Monday vote
By Robert Samuels, Washington Post, December 17, 2016