The Latest: WA Democratic Elector Won't Vote for Clinton

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

The Latest: WA Democratic Elector Won't Vote for Clinton

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Nov 4, 2016, 6:28 PM ET

The Latest on the U.S. presidential race (all times EDT):

6:27 p.m.

A Democratic elector in Washington state said Friday he won't vote for Hillary Clinton even if she wins the popular vote in his state on Election Day, adding a degree of suspense when the Electoral College affirms the election results next month.

Robert Satiacum, ...

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He said he feels that neither Clinton nor Trump can lead the country.

"She will not get my vote, period," he said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

Satiacum is one of 12 Democratic electors in Washington, which Clinton is expected to win.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/latest-early-vote-florida-exceeds-2012-figures-43299797

See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faithless_elector

[TheLibIn615]

1. Can he be prosecuted for this?

This douchecanoe is subverting democracy because he doesn't like the candidate? It's not fucking up to you, you miserable piece of shit. Go jump off a tall bridge.

Also, fuck our voting system.

[PoliticAverse]

7. Unlikely. No "faithless elector" has ever been prosecuted and there's a good chance...

the Supreme Court would find laws binding electors to be unconstitutional.

Don't assume the issue will only affect Clinton's electors, some Trump electors have threatened to bail also.

[BlueMTexpat]

31. Per the link on "faithless

elector," the Supremes have already confirmed the consitutionality of state pledge laws. See, e.g., Ray v. Blair (1952) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_v._Blair

See also: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1153440/ray-v-blair/

This guy is a jerk who should either follow tradition or face whatever consequences might ensue from this, legal, financial and otherwise. Period.

In any event, I doubt that he'll have much of a future in the Democratic party either way after this pronouncement. F**k him!

[PoliticAverse]

32. Note from your first link...

However, it did not address the requirement that electors must vote for their pledged candidate.

Ray v. Blair was about the requirements you had to meet to become an elector and found that it was OK to
require the elector pledge to vote for a specific candidate.

What happens when the elector actually votes isn't completely settled. Note from the decision quoted in your second link:

This pledge is in reality a statement of present intention, as distinguished from a pledge or obligation as to future acts. It creates no enforceable legal obligation on the part of the candidate to vote for a party nominee in the general election.

Also people here seem to be assuming more Clinton electors will defect than Trump ones. I'm not convinced of that.

[pkdu]

12. $1000 fine - says he is happy to pay it. - he's a douchebag nt

[TheLibIn615]

13. Wow there's a harsh penalty.

No wonder Russia is having such an easy time subverting our democracy. This country makes it pretty fucking easy.

[Cha]

15. No it's not a harsh fine for subverting Democracy.

And, Donald Fucking Trump is the reason putin is involved.. quit trying to blame it on our Democracy.

[chrisau214]

19. Weak sarcasm detector?

[Cha]

20. What?

[TheLibIn615]

21. I was being sarcastic

Is what chrisau214 meant.

[Cha]

22. Oh sorry! I obviously had No Idea! that's some

dry sarcasm there!

[TheLibIn615]

24. All good, friend

[still_one]

29. Just my two cents, for myself, even when I think it is obvious, I use the scarcasm

tag. You select [Smiles], then the ellipses on the next screen and select the tag:



oh, welcome aboard to DU, and the scarcasm tag DOES NOT APPLY for my welcome. I hope you enjoy the DU family

[KamaAina]

28. Or better still, replaced?

[budkin]

2. Subverting the will of the people...

Sounds like he'll be eating a shit sandwich.

[JHan]

3. So Clinton is a "criminal" he says..

and what crime is she guilty of exactly ?

"she's done nothing but flip back and forth." - no more than other politicians ( including Obama)

smfh

[Cha]

17. He's brainwashed.. and President Obama is an excellent President.

[Mme. Defarge]

4. If he is unwilling to perform his duty

can he be replaced?

[TreasonousBastard]

14. Perhaps...

https://wei.sos.wa.gov/agency/osos/Documents/Democratic%20Electors.pdf

Note that he has pledged to vote for the nominee. If he refuses to honor this pledge, he can be disciplined by the party.

For some more interesting background:

https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/electors.html#restrictions

Are there restrictions on who the Electors can vote for?
There is no Constitutional provision or Federal law that requires Electors to vote according to the results of the popular vote in their states. Some states, however, require Electors to cast their votes according to the popular vote. These pledges fall into two categories—Electors bound by state law and those bound by pledges to political parties.

The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the Constitution does not require that Electors be completely free to act as they choose and therefore, political parties may extract pledges from electors to vote for the parties' nominees. Some state laws provide that so-called "faithless Electors" may be subject to fines or may be disqualified for casting an invalid vote and be replaced by a substitute elector. The Supreme Court has not specifically ruled on the question of whether pledges and penalties for failure to vote as pledged may be enforced under the Constitution. No Elector has ever been prosecuted for failing to vote as pledged.

Today, it is rare for Electors to disregard the popular vote by casting their electoral vote for someone other than their party's candidate. Electors generally hold a leadership position in their party or were chosen to recognize years of loyal service to the party. Throughout our history as a nation, more than 99 percent of Electors have voted as pledged.

List of State Laws and Requirements Regarding the Electors
verified as of March 1, 2016

<...>

WASHINGTON – Party Pledge / State Law – §§ 29.71.020, 29.71.040, Supp. ($1000 fine.)

I think this means he can be fined $1,000. And he will very likely be tarred, feathered, and thrown party.

[Cha]

16. Thank you for that, TB!

[Dem2]

5. HEY!!!11!! LOOK AT ME!!!111!! I'M A GIANT DOUCHENOZZLE!!!!!!!!1111!!!

Fucking attention whore - god I hate those people.

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

8. I would guess they have alternates

Hopefully they have something in place where he can't go against the state voters.

[Siwsan]

9. Hmmmm. I'm wondering if $$$$$$$$$ is involved

My first suspicion, in situations like this, tends to veer towards greed and avarice.

[Historic NY]

10. Why hasn't he been replaced yet? This charade has been going on for months.

[geek tragedy]

11. banish this fuckwit, and whoever got him this position, from DNC politics for a decade or more nt

[Awsi Dooger]

26. More evidence that you can't rely on short term

A position as elector should be earned and solidified over decades of loyalty and logic and trust. No questions about any of them.

This moron sounds like he stumbled onto the role by chance, when somebody recommended him based on some left leaning speech. Unbelievable.

As I've indicated, when something is touted as ultra sophisticated, don't believe it. I've been behind the scenes in enough settings to see absolute chaos, then as soon as the lights come on or the door opens the top guy smiles and everyone wants to believe it's a perfect blueprint top to bottom day after day.

[geek tragedy]

27. They handed out this position like it was a piddling token

Heads should roll. This guy was obviously unfit for the position

[kstewart33]

18. This is old news.

He's been saying that for awhile now.

[SharonClark]

25. Agree but Rachel Maddow mentioned it tonight so he maybe have repeated it

She said he can be fined $1000 but he was okay with that. He should resign and donate that money to the local food bank or other worthy cause. Whoever allowed him to become an elector should have done a better job vetting him.

[book_worm]

23. The guy is just a publicity hound

[mwrguy]

30. He can be convinced if they try hard enough

[Tom Rivers]

33. this isn't about you, dipshit, do your fucking job!