America’s Supreme Court considers the rights of “faithless” presidential electors
The constitution is pretty clear that electors can do whatever they want. This is a problem for originalists
MOST AMERICANS would like to abolish the electoral college, the idiosyncratic institution that picks presidents six weeks after election day. Twice this century, candidates who received more votes in the nationwide tally watched their rivals move into the White House the next January. But in 2016, when Hillary Clinton, the popular-vote winner, was vanquished by Donald Trump, another electoral-college flashpoint came to light.
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Going rogue”
United States May 9th 2020
- There is less trust between Washington and Beijing than at any point since 1979
- Have the top 0.1% of Americans made out like bandits since 2000?
- Steve King, Iowa’s most noxious politician, looks vulnerable
- Donald Trump’s war on inspectors general
- America’s Supreme Court considers the rights of “faithless” presidential electors
- ASAP is more important than affirmative action
- Ode to the shopping mall
From the May 9th 2020 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from United States
Tom Homan, unleashed
America’s new border czar spent decades waiting for a president like Donald Trump
An unfinished election may shape a swing state’s future
A Supreme Court race ended very close. Then the lawyers arrived.
Donald Trump cries “invasion” to justify an immigration crackdown
His executive orders range from benign to belligerent
To end birthright citizenship, Donald Trump misreads the constitution
A change would also create huge practical problems
Ross Ulbricht, pardoned by Donald Trump, was a pioneer of crypto-crime
His dark website, the Silk Road, was to crime what Napster was to music
Two presidents compete over the worst abuse of the pardon power
Donald Trump and Joe Biden have both made indefensible decisions