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Could Unfaithful Electors Sway the Election?

NPR

Virginia’s 13 members of the Electoral College are slated to meet Monday in Richmond, determining the outcome of the presidential election. 

It’s usually an unremarkable gathering of the party faithful, a route part of the American system. But this year is different because several electors, have already announced that they plan on being unfaithful — voting in opposition to the popular votes of the states they are representing. Democratic Congressman Don Beyer of Alexandria says electors should know the full extent of Russian hacking before they cast their votes.

“And what it may even give us is the intelligence community agreeing to provide the appropriately redacted intelligence committee report on the Russian hacking to the members of the Electoral College. Doesn’t have to be delayed as long as the information is given to them.”

Some of the electors are on board with that as well — requesting an intelligence briefing before Monday’s vote. But whether that would change any outcomes? Quentin Kidd at Christopher Newport says that would be unprecedented. 

“We have to go back to the mid-1800s to find a period in American political history where we had as many unfaithful electors or as many people who were threatening to be unfaithful electors.”

Kidd says unfaithful electors have never changed an election before. But, he adds, this year hasn’t followed the script so far.