What happens if the Electorial College does NOT elect who they were told to elect?

Question

I know in an election we are actually telling our Electorial College who to vote for! But, from what I was told ONLY a few states have laws that say they MUST vote the way of the voters. In other words. Lets say 100% of the voters voted for Candidate A in a state. The electorial College COULD turn their noses on the citizens and then push the vote to the other Candidate. I know they would lose their job for next time, but the damage would already be done. Was I told correctly? Why wouldn't they make this impossible for every state? Seems almost like someone COULD buy the presidency? I mean if a BILLIONAIRE offered everyone in the electorial college a Million Dollars to vote for him and keep it quiet. The candidate could get 0 votes and get MOST of the electorial college votes (except for those few states which WISELY say you have to vote for the winner in the state).

AM I missing something or is it really a hole? I know it is a SMALL hole, but it is still a hole! Right??

Answer 1

Its the Electoral college, not "electorial".

Yes, you're right. The electors could choose someone other than the candidates the people selected. This is very unlikely though as the electors are usually very dedicated and loyal members of their political parties. The founding fathers did not trust the people as completely as you may think. This is a provision which is included to keep the people from electing say, Cap'n Crunch who meets the technical requirements of being 35 years old, a natural born citizen (albeit a cartoon citizen), and a resident of the US for 14 years, but who probably would not be able to perform much better than our current POTUS

Uh...well, maybe he could!

;O)

Not very democratic, I know.

Answer 2

Well, one of the things you are missing is the impossibility of "offer[ing] everyone in the electoral college a Million Dollars to vote for him and keep it quiet." First, keeping it quiet would be a big deal. Second, you seem to assume that everyone in the electoral college would be up for sale. I don't think this is true.

Another problem with your apparently preferred scenario of requiring they have to vote for the winner in the state is the possibility -- not insignificant -- that no one would have a majority in the electoral college. All it would take would be a third-party candidate who had even a very few votes, with the two major parties sufficiently evenly matched that the minority party candidate would effectively seal the election by which of the other two candidates he instructed his delegates to vote for when he took himself out of the race.

If everyone was required to vote in every ballot for the same person, there would be no point in having additional ballots, and no point having an electoral college. I know a lot of people prefer that, but the electoral college is set up the way it is to avoid deadlocks, as much as for any other reason.

Answer 3

well, nothing happens, because actually unless a law actually dictates that the electors must vote with the popular vote, they can vote however they want. this is because the founders were scared of giving the idiotic, uniformed masses the actual power to elect the president. of course what you are talking about is fraud and no different from paying regular people to vote for someone. of course you are also missing that the parties that win the popular vote in each state also pick that state's electors, and that 24 states have laws to punish "faithless electors" (no one has ever been punished for this but it could happen)

Answer 4

That's what the right to bear arms is for. We march to Washington and shoot them all!!!
Seriously, you make a valid point. I've heard time and time again how Bush stole the election. Not true. An antiquated 18th century method of determining the outcome, gave in to him.
No one will change it. Because it always gives the winner a so-called mandate. Even though it's never reality based. As politics become more corrupt, your scenario looks less improbable.

Answer 5

I think you are right, but usually the electoral college is hand picked by each party to vote their loyalty, yes it could happen but is highly unlikely.

Answer 6

THIS MUST BE CHANGED! There is no good reason for the electoral college. It is promoted on the theory that most men are stupid.