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> we all know that's not how it's formally done, and we all know how important formality always used to be to these folks But it is how it's been done, for dec
by jefftk 6y ago
> we all know that's not how it's formally done, and we all know how important formality always used to be to these folks
But it is how it's been done, for decades. Winning a majority of the electors has been considered winning the presidency for a really long time. For example, from November 9th 1988: https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/107377 https://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/107377
The electoral college is vestigial, and if it voted in a way different from how its electors had been chosen that would widely be considered stealing the election.
- TheRealPomax 6y agoThat's because until now, there hasn't been someone who's going to exploit every rule they can, and bribe where it's legal, to stay in power. Stealing the election is perfectly acceptable to the incumbent.
- jefftk 6y agoThe best way to keep that from happening, though, is emphasis on how the real election is the election for the electors. Recounts and court challenges are fine, as long as they keep the discussion about making sure that the chosen electors actually represent how people voted. If we start seeing any push to appoint different electors or claims that it would be legitimate for electors to vote a different way, however, we need to pay attention and push back hard.