Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2023 January 23

= January 23 =

Electoral college
In the United States, can incumbent or outgoing Governors, be part of the Electoral College of a presidential candidate? Thanks 93.41.97.54 (talk) 16:49, 23 January 2023 (UTC)
 * I don't see anything in the article that restricts who the electors can be. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 17:32, 23 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Article II § 1 of the US Constitution states that "no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector". This restriction applies exclusively to federal officials. --Lambiam 09:23, 24 January 2023 (UTC)


 * Note that the Electoral College is not connected to a specific presidential candidate ; its task is to elect one (and also a vice) from the pool of candidates. --Lambiam 18:06, 23 January 2023 (UTC)
 * In fact, it has happened. Andrew Cuomo, then-governor of New York, was one of the Democratic electors in New York for Joe Biden/Kamala Harris in 2020. See for the certificate listing him as an elector. --Metropolitan90 (talk) 20:42, 23 January 2023 (UTC)


 * The members of the electoral college are typically chosen by the party within a given state. With a few exceptions, there is no "pool" of candidates; they are legally bound to vote for the pres and vp candidates the voters have chosen. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 20:47, 23 January 2023 (UTC)
 * They may be morally bound, but any legal binding is dependent on State legislation; see Faithless elector. --Lambiam 09:06, 24 January 2023 (UTC)
 * It is important to note that the electoral system is state-based. There are some Federal laws and regulations that limit what the states can do. For the most part, it is purely up to the states to do what they want. It is not a Federal mandate that it be done in any specific way. 12.116.29.106 (talk) 13:42, 24 January 2023 (UTC)
 * It should also be noted that while states are legally allowed to issue fines, penalties, and punishments to faithless electors after the fact, AFAIK, there is no way to invalidate the votes of faithless electors or revoke them or replace them once they have been made. -- Jayron 32 13:43, 24 January 2023 (UTC)
 * I can't comment on whether it's legal, but some states do do that. See Faithless electors in the 2016 United States presidential election. --142.112.220.65 (talk) 08:02, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Fair enough. I stand corrected.  -- Jayron 32 12:05, 25 January 2023 (UTC)


 * If faithless electors in a very close election flipped the winner, the question arises as to why they would sabotage their own party? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 12:37, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * Maybe the party didn't nominate the person they wanted. You would think that the electors were chosen after the nomination and that they were pledged personally to the nominee rather than the party.  You'd think that, but in most states, you'd be wrong.  Apparently in most cases the state party chooses a slate of electors before the convention, and they're pledged to whomever the party happens to nominate.
 * I'm pretty sure in California you can register as an official write-in candidate by providing a slate of electors pledged personally to you. Unofficial write-in votes are also possible, but are not even counted. --Trovatore (talk) 07:06, 27 January 2023 (UTC)
 * In order to induce opinion, prediction, or debate postings on the Reference Desk? --142.112.220.65 (talk) 15:38, 25 January 2023 (UTC)
 * They may have been bribed, or they may be sleeper agents. --Lambiam 15:55, 25 January 2023 (UTC)