Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:40 pm
Washington state electors have filed a lawsuit that seeks to overturn a state law that forces them to vote for the winner of the state’s popular vote. The Washington suit is part of a broader effort to unbound electors so that they are free not to vote for Donald Trump.
Politico reported, “Two Washington state electors, P. Bret Chiafalo and Levi Guerra, filed a little-noticed suit in federal court Thursday intended to overturn a state law that forces them to support the winner of the statewide popular vote when the Electoral College meets on Dec. 19. It’s part of an effort to undermine similar laws in 28 other states, including several states where Republican electors have expressed concerns about Trump but are legally obligated to support him.
It is unclear whether or not lawsuits such as this one will be successful. The laws in 29 states that require electors to vote for the winner of each state’s popular vote have never been enforced or tested in court before.
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What is clear is that Donald Trump has triggered the most serious challenge to the Electoral College in modern political history. There was some talk of doing away with the Electoral College after the 2000 election, but the chatter has been replaced by action as people along all points in the political spectrum have expressed concerns about a Trump presidency.
The lawsuit is a long-shot bid to stop Trump, but the underlying message is that the president-elect did not win in a landslide, and he will be taking over a deeply divided country where a majority of voters did not support him.
The efforts to stop Trump before he takes office will turn into a sustained movement to make him one term president if he is inaugurated.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
