What happens if Republican electors vote for a third person, and no one

[Baitball Blogger]

receives more than 269 votes? Can we get a new election?

[NYC Liberal]

1. The House decides and they vote by state delegation.

They decide from among the top three EV-getters.

[Silent3]

2. I've been wondering how that state delegation part works out...

...particularly for states with an even number of representatives. Multiples of three could also be a problem since there are always three candidates to vote on in this situation.

How are the representatives supposed to settle it among themselves for which candidate their state, as a whole, will vote?

[Bucky]

12. Right, that is where the deal cutting comes in.

Given the make up of Congress, a Republican president is a certainty. The odds are astronomical that anyone but Trump takes the oath on January 20th. I can give you a quick run-down of states in a couple of minutes

[Bucky]

14. States counts for or against Trump in the US House (if it comes to that)

The thing that'll probably stop Republicans from slipping over to support a compromise candidate is the fact that it would leave their party brutally divided for the next four years.

Certain for Trump (21)
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missourah
Montana
Nebraska
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
West Virginia


Probably for Trump (6)
Arizona (some mods plus 4 of 9 are Democrats)
North Dakota (ND's sole rep is Kevin Cramer, who Trump just passed over for energy secretary because he was... wait for it... stupider than Rick Perry. He doesn't know how electricity works. So if he's vindictive, he might could be bought off)
Texas (We don't like him down here. Trump was a far weaker candidate than Romney in Texas)
Virginia (4/11 Dems, some moderate Republicans, somehow)
Wisconsin (3/8 Dems, Paul Ryan probably doesn't relish the thought of working with Trump and is a deal cutter)
Wyoming (Liz Cheney... ew)



Possibly anti-Trump Republican-voting states (5)
Alaska (Don Young, AK's sole Rep, is "not a fan" of the Big Orangutan)
Colorado (Trump's comments at the Convention PO'd a couple of CO GOP Reps, plus 3/7 are Dems)
Maine (2 Reps: 1 Dem, 1 GOP. They can compromise against Trump or be irrelevant)
South Dakota (GOP Rep. Kristi Noemi has been offended by Trump and refused to take the Sec'y of Agiculture gig from him)
Utah



Sure for Clinton (17)
California
Connect
Delaware
Hawaii
Illinois
Maryland
Mass
Minnysohdah
Nevada
New Hamp
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Oregon
Rhode Peninsula
Vermont
Washington

[Silent3]

15. Republicans have successfully pulled all kinds of shit counting on voters to forget...

...in a year or two, and not voting for Trump I think will be easily forgiven in two years, especially since they can count on Trump only looking worse two years from now. A huge number of Republicans hate Trump no matter how much they've pretended otherwise, and if they smell blood in the water, it won't be too hard for a lot more to flip anti-Trump than you suggest.

As for votes for Clinton... If Clinton is smart, she knows she can't win in the House, so for the good of the country she'll implore Democrats to vote for the anti-Trump Republican (probably Kasich, by the way) instead of for herself.

[Bucky]

17. I'm not sure people will forget. Many voted for Trump despite feelings about the Republicans

It will be a big betrayal. Republicans also will fear a backlash from their tiny but vocal white identity base. Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity will give the Congress holy hell for this. The idea of Congress standing up to both of them is hell-freezing-over levels of unlikely.

On the other hand, you're right. Kasich is the perfect Trump replacement, if he's willing to defy the alt+right and the Tea Baggers and the angry blue collar workers who have placed all their hopes in Trump (and thus flipped Ohio over to Trump).

It'd be a mess, a lingering mess. The CIA's case against Trump would have to be pretty damning for anyone to go to these lengths.

[JudyM]

23. I didn't realize she was actively involved in what's happening these days. (Crickets)

Extremely disappointed in her - yeah she deserves a rest, but she'd have plenty of energy if she was the one staffing up her cabinet...

[NYC Liberal]

13. It took 36 ballots in 1800. They just keep voting.

I believe the delegations decide/vote among themselves. It's up to them.

[Bucky]

18. Yes, but everyone's a lot more concerned about the endgame now than in 1800

It might go to a 3rd round, but only if the case against Trump is really damning.

[hedda_foil]

21. Each state gets only ONE vote in the House so whoever gets 26 votes wins.g

In case of an Electoral tie:

"It takes 270toWin.If neither candidate gets a majority of the 538 electoral votes, the election for President is decided in the House of Representatives, with each state delegation having one vote. A majority of states (26) is needed to win.
Electoral College Ties - 270toWin
270toWin.com › content › electoral-colle...
Win. If neither candidate gets a majority of the 538 electoral votes, the election for President is decided in the House of Representatives, with each state delegation having one vote. A majority of states (26) is needed to win.
Electoral College Ties - 270toWin

www.270toWin.com › content › electoral-colle...


http://www.270towin.com/content/electoral-college-ties/

[Silent3]

22. My question is about how they arrive at that one vote.

Only seven states are small enough to have just a single representative. The rest have two or more, so I'm wondering how those reps go about deciding what their mutual single vote will be.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. I just listened to an informative video.

The Republican house can still vote Trump in.

[bowens43]

4. but they wouldn't

They know he's insane. My guess is we would see an establishment republican...bad but not as bad as trump

[Baitball Blogger]

5. They can only pick from the top three candidates.

Or, that's my understanding.

[Joe941]

6. So that means...

The top electors votes will be tRump, Clinton, and whoever the protest vote is. If the electors protest vote is a mainstream guy and tRump doesn't get 270 the protest voter would have a shot! This needs to happen!

[salin]

20. ergo - in this congress Trump happens.

I don't see spines of steal sitting in the house who are concerned about the country. I see a mix of sycophants who want their share of the power, and a mix of cowards who are afraid of their teaparty constituents backlash.

[lake loon]

7. President Pence

And Vice President Kaine.

[Bucky]

9. ha ha, but no

[Bucky]

8. Short answer... it goes to the US House and Trump gets elected president

The Constitution says if no one gets a majority of electoral votes, then the House picks the president from among the top 3 vote getters--presumedly Trump, Clinton, and whatever spoiler these 10-20 rogue electors rally around. Each state gets one vote, so Trump's command of the small states will be decisive here. States with split delegations will not see their votes count. Trump should be able to get to 26 states anyway.

I assume enormous political and economic pressure is being brought onto these rogue electors right now. They stand to lose business contracts, political careers, social contacts, etc. Anyone of them who sticks it out because they don't want a Manchurian President is incredibly brave and principled. I assume Trump's first order of business will be to sic Justice Department and/or the IRS on them.

[Baitball Blogger]

11. We are about to discover if we have any Super Patriots among the electors.

[Louis1895]

16. Romney chances

If Romney or some other "moderate" Republican were to get third place, the Democrats could rally around that choice to shut out the Trump states if enough red states agreed. A bargain could be to have Kaine selected for VP by Senate.

[Bucky]

19. Romney would be dead in the water, however.

Mitt has no intention of sullying his name with such a move. First, he'd be dead to the Republicans, having depended on mostly Democratic votes to get into office over a guy he's clearly intimidated by--and would fear looking like this was all pique over not being chosen for Sec'y of State.

The Tea Baggers would be up in arms... maybe literally... over the "coup" and some of them would start cozying up to the alt-right, which would include a few actual loons out doing actual acts of violence. Hannity and Scarborough and Limbaugh and O'Reilly would all scream bloody murder for the next four years. The Republicans would not just feel betrayed, they'd see their party torn apart by the coup.

He'd have to preside over four years of chaos. I just don't see him risking all that just save America from a fellow zillionaire.

[world wide wally]

10. This is where the gerrymandering comes in

They have all the bases covered