So with Donald Trump declared the next (45th) President of the United States of America this week, a lot of people are unhappy to say the least. And the discussion of the role and purpose of the electoral college has come up in many conversations.
Long story short Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, but Donald Trump has received the majority of electors.
But concept of electors becoming “faithless electors” has come up and according to some and quoted in the above linked article:
However, there is nothing stopping any of the electors from refusing to support the candidate to whom they were bound or by abstaining from voting.
Another article in The New York Times elaborates on the concept and obligations of the electoral college as well and this page on the website for the National Constitution Center as well quotes relevant passages from the Constitution. More observations and analysis from Time magazine.
So the question is: Is this truly legal? Or is this all pie-in-the-sky hopes put forth by people who are hoping against all hope that Donald Trump won’t be the 45th President of the United States of America?