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Trump’s Final Lap to the White House Donald Trump’s Final Lap, the Electoral College, Before the White House
(35 minutes later)
Right Now: As of 12:45 p.m. Eastern time, voting had ended in 16 states, with 82 electoral votes cast for Donald J. Trump and 66 for Hillary Clinton. Right Now: As of 1:50 p.m. Eastern time, voting had ended in 18 states, with 117 votes for Donald J. Trump and 79 for Hillary Clinton.
■ The 538 members of the Electoral College are convening on Monday in every state and the District of Columbia to determine who will be the next president and vice president. New York Times journalists across the country are monitoring the day’s events.■ The 538 members of the Electoral College are convening on Monday in every state and the District of Columbia to determine who will be the next president and vice president. New York Times journalists across the country are monitoring the day’s events.
■ For electoral victory, President-elect Trump needs 270 votes. Those seeking to prevent that outcome faced long odds — and in some cases, state laws that bind electors to uphold the popular vote.■ For electoral victory, President-elect Trump needs 270 votes. Those seeking to prevent that outcome faced long odds — and in some cases, state laws that bind electors to uphold the popular vote.
■ Demonstrators gathered at many statehouses, highlighting deep divisions that emerged during the campaign. They were protesting the selection of Mr. Trump, and the fact that he was able to win the electoral vote despite losing the popular vote by nearly three million votes.■ Demonstrators gathered at many statehouses, highlighting deep divisions that emerged during the campaign. They were protesting the selection of Mr. Trump, and the fact that he was able to win the electoral vote despite losing the popular vote by nearly three million votes.
Most meetings of electors are being held in state capitals, usually in legislative chambers where public seating is limited. A number of states are live-streaming voting, including (but not limited to) California, Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, Washington, Virginia, Maryland, Indiana and Tennessee. The offices and websites of individual secretaries of state can offer more information on whether and where meetings will be broadcast. Demonstrators gathered at the Capitol in frigid temperatures before the Michigan’s 16 electors were to cast their votes in Lansing.
There is also a list of times for meetings of state electors. Over a loudspeaker that echoed across the capitol’s snowy lawn, a protest leader called out the name of each elector, one by one, before pleading with them all to “vote their conscience” and “do not let love be trumped by hate.”
Someone carried an American flag. Others waved signs with messages like: “Nyet Trump.” Speakers offered an array of reasons – the future of immigrants, Muslims, women – for why electors should reject Mr. Trump.
State law in Michigan bars electors for choosing someone other than the winner of Michigan’s vote, but that has not stopped a flood of efforts, via email and phone calls, even before Monday’s protest. Mr. Trump won the state by nearly 11,000 votes. — MONICA DAVEY
Mr. Trump has won the unanimous votes of 16 electors in Georgia and 11 in Tennessee, states he handily won in the November election.
Protesters gathered outside the state capitol buildings in Atlanta and Nashville before the ballots were cast, and in the House chamber in Nashville, “there were a few protesters in the gallery, and a couple of times they would try to say something or shout — but nothing outrageous,” said Adam Ghassemi, the spokesman for the secretary of state.
Tennessee’s electors were bound by state law to vote for the winning presidential candidate. Georgia’s were not, but before voting, electors there had to select a replacement for an elector who earlier has resigned, saying he could not vote for Mr. Trump. — MICHAEL WINES
Unlike most states, Maine does not award all four of its electoral votes to the popular vote winner. It gives two votes to the winner of the state’s popular vote, and one each to the winner of the state’s two congressional districts. The elector from the state’s Second Congressional District is expected to support Mr. Trump, who won the most votes in that district. Another elector, David Bright, wrote on Facebook Monday that he would vote for Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
Mr. Sanders was defeated by Mrs. Clinton in the Democratic primary, but handily won the caucuses in Maine, and the elector, David Bright, wrote that he wanted to send a message to people who cast their first votes for the Democratic Party to support Mr. Sanders.
“I cast my Electoral College vote for Bernie Sanders today to let those new voters who were inspired by him know that some of us did hear them, did listen to them, do respect them and understand their disappointment,” wrote Mr. Bright, whose comments were reported by The Portland Press Herald and the The Bangor Daily News. The state’s other two Democratic electors were expected to support Mrs. Clinton. — JESS BIDGOOD
In Harrisburg, hundreds of protesters chanted and waved signs on the steps of the State Capitol and in the lobby, but they were fairly subdued, acknowledging that they did not expect to affect the outcome.In Harrisburg, hundreds of protesters chanted and waved signs on the steps of the State Capitol and in the lobby, but they were fairly subdued, acknowledging that they did not expect to affect the outcome.
Pennsylvania played a crucial role in the election, one of three states — along with Wisconsin and Michigan — that Mrs. Clinton was expected to carry, but that Mr. Trump won by less than 1 percent.Pennsylvania played a crucial role in the election, one of three states — along with Wisconsin and Michigan — that Mrs. Clinton was expected to carry, but that Mr. Trump won by less than 1 percent.
When the electors cast Pennsylvania’s 20 votes for Mr. Trump, the legislative chamber echoed with a long round of applause, followed by shouts of “shame on you” from the visitors’ gallery. — RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑAWhen the electors cast Pennsylvania’s 20 votes for Mr. Trump, the legislative chamber echoed with a long round of applause, followed by shouts of “shame on you” from the visitors’ gallery. — RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
Electors in Madison, Wis., cast all 10 of the state’s electoral votes for Mr. Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence, as was widely expected.
The meeting drew a crowd of several dozen to the Capitol, and a few in the audience booed and chanted “Shame!” after the results were announced. A handful of protesters were escorted out of the room by the authorities, but most stayed seated and the meeting continued with only a few slight pauses. The meeting adjourned after 19 minutes. — MITCH SMITH
Mississippi’s six electors have unanimously and uneventfully cast their ballots for Mr. Trump, who carried the state in November, according to the spokeswoman for the secretary of state, Leah Smith.Mississippi’s six electors have unanimously and uneventfully cast their ballots for Mr. Trump, who carried the state in November, according to the spokeswoman for the secretary of state, Leah Smith.
A handful of protesters were outside the state capitol in Jackson, and four quietly witnessed the vote in a meeting room inside.A handful of protesters were outside the state capitol in Jackson, and four quietly witnessed the vote in a meeting room inside.
Among the electors, The Associated Press reported, was Charles Evers, the former Republican mayor of Fayette, a talk-radio host and the brother of Medgar Evers, the anti-segregation activist whose murder in 1963 was a landmark in the civil-rights movement. — MICHAEL WINESAmong the electors, The Associated Press reported, was Charles Evers, the former Republican mayor of Fayette, a talk-radio host and the brother of Medgar Evers, the anti-segregation activist whose murder in 1963 was a landmark in the civil-rights movement. — MICHAEL WINES
Wisconsin: Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Capitol in Madison, Wis., braving subzero temperatures and marching with signs with messages like “Vote Your Conscience,” hoping to persuade the state’s presidential electors to vote against Mr. Trump, who narrowly carried the state in last month’s election. Most meetings of electors are being held in state capitals, usually in legislative chambers where public seating is limited. A number of states are live-streaming voting, including (but not limited to) California, Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, Washington, Virginia, Maryland, Indiana and Tennessee. The offices and websites of individual secretaries of state can offer more information on whether and where meetings will be broadcast.
The demonstrators said they did not especially care about which presidential candidate got the electors’ votes, so long as it wasn’t the Republican nominee. “Choose someone else,” the group chanted as they marched in a circle and took turns warming up inside the building.
“Vote not for Trump,” said Hans Meyer, from Pewaukee, Wis., who came to the protest wearing snow pants, thick gloves and a heavy jacket, and who pledged to remain outside the Capitol until after the electors voted.
Joel Besemer of Stevens Point, Wis., the state organizer for Democracy Spring, said he and others organized the protest in recent days using social media. The demonstration, he said, had both practical and symbolic importance.
“The miracle on 42nd Street that I’m hoping for is the electors will actually change their mind — I understand that that is, you know, far out there for us,” Mr. Besemer said. “The second part is to challenge that Trump has a mandate in this country. He lost the popular vote. Anybody but Trump.”
Wisconsin’s 10 electors were set to vote at noon local time. The electors are widely expected to vote for Mr. Trump. — MITCH SMITH
The electoral process was created as a middle path between election of the president by popular vote and election by Congress.The electoral process was created as a middle path between election of the president by popular vote and election by Congress.
The 12th Amendment sets out some specific rules.The 12th Amendment sets out some specific rules.
A constitutional amendment would be required to change the process. Efforts to create a direct election have been unsuccessful.A constitutional amendment would be required to change the process. Efforts to create a direct election have been unsuccessful.
Nine times in the past century, presidential electors have done what party rules and, often, state laws forbid: They have broken ranks, casting their votes for someone other than the candidate who won in their states. Arizona’s 11 electors were not obligated to vote for the winning candidate, which explains why so many protesters gathered on both sides of the State Capitol for a last-ditch — and long-shot — push to get them to change their minds.
Since the election on Nov. 8, eight electors — four from Colorado, three from Washington and one from Texas — have said they will cast ballots for someone other than Mr. Trump or Hillary Clinton. The aim is to jump-start a campaign to deny Mr. Trump the 270 votes he needs to become president. They carried signs that read, “Country before party” and “Electors: Save us, dump Trump.” They brought their children, their dogs and what was left of their hopes.
Mr. Trump won 306 electoral votes, so to push his total below 270, at least 37 Republican electors from states he won would have to jump ship. So far, only one of the eight rogue electors fits that description. The rest are Democrats from states won by Mrs. Clinton who hope that by shifting their votes from her to another candidate — a moderate Republican alternative to Mr. Trump is most often mentioned — they can create an example for any wavering Republican electors. Karen O’Brien, 54, who voted for Mrs. Clinton, said, “I’m praying that we can get the electors to flip their votes.”
Were Mr. Trump’s electoral vote harvest to fall below 270, the election would be thrown to the House of Representatives, which would choose from among the top three vote-getters in the Electoral College. It didn’t work.
Does the effort stand a chance? R. J. Lyman, a Boston lawyer, said he had counseled “a couple dozen” electors who had expressed uncertainty about how they should vote. Mr. Lyman, who led a “super PAC” backing the vice-presidential bid of William F. Weld, the Libertarian candidate and former Massachusetts governor, describes himself as a classic political centrist who is not pushing electors to support or dump Mr. Trump, but simply helping them consider their constitutional responsibilities. Inside, Secretary of State Michele Reagan, a Republican, asked the electors, “Are you ready to tie up this election with a big red bow?”
“I want to make sure they neither reflect a rubber stamp nor go with immense political pressure from others to go off the rails,” he said in an interview. And that’s exactly what they did, casting a unanimous vote for Mr. Trump, who won the state by 91,000 votes. It was a smaller margin than that of Mitt Romney in 2012 (201,000 votes), but it was a victory nonetheless. — FERNANDA SANTOS
Nothing in the Constitution requires electors to vote for the candidate who wins their state; in 1836, in fact, a revolt by electors threw the choice for vice president to the Senate. But in the past century, it has become custom — and in many states, the law — that they do so.
What are the chances that the electors will put Mr. Trump’s victory in jeopardy? “Slim and none,” said Robert M. Alexander, a political science professor at Northern Ohio University and the author of “Presidential Electors and the Electoral College: An Examination of Lobbying, Wavering Electors and Campaigns for Faithless Votes.”
Monday’s vote will tell. — MICHAEL WINES
Arizona’s 11 electors have received hundreds of letters, tens of thousands of emails and enough threats to force state officials to tighten security on Monday at the State Capitol in Phoenix, where they will meet.
The threats have come disguised as Christmas cards, in Facebook posts and in private messages like those received dozens of times by the state’s Republican Party chairman, Robert S. Graham, telling him he was being followed and had better watch his back.
“It’s one thing to put pressure on people. It’s another thing to really disrupt their lives, to threaten them,” Mr. Graham said. “This has gone well beyond anything that you’d qualify as activism.”
The other day, one of the electors threw away 35 pounds’ worth of correspondence demanding that she vote for Mrs. Clinton or anyone but Mr. Trump. Another, Jane Lynch, a longtime Republican activist and former state party official, got 1,000 emails in one hour, Mr. Graham said.
There are some writers who believe that Mr. Trump works for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and that his election is part of a big Russian conspiracy to take over the United States, Mr. Graham said. A lot of the emails carry variations of a message received more than once by Bruce Ash, an elector from Tucson: “Put country above party and block Donald Trump from the presidency.”
Arizona’s 11 electors have nonetheless pledged that they will support Mr. Trump, who won the state by about four percentage points, on Monday. — FERNANDA SANTOS