faithless elector
noun
plural faithless electors
: an elector who votes in the electoral college for a candidate other than the one who won the popular vote in the elector's state
The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously upheld laws across the country that remove or punish rogue Electoral College delegates who refuse to cast their votes for the presidential candidate they were pledged to support. The decision Monday was a loss for "faithless electors," who argued that under the Constitution they have discretion to decide which candidate to support.—
Nina Totenberg
Nina TotenbergExamples of faithless elector in a Sentence
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In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states can enforce laws requiring electors to follow the popular vote, which effectively limits the occurrence of faithless electors.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Dec. 2024
At this point, the faithless elector scenario appears to be, thankfully, a theoretic relic of the past.
—Ryan Smith, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Assuming there are no faithless electors, that will give Trump a healthy 312-226 electoral-vote margin when the Electoral College convenes on Dec. 17.
—Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 26 Nov. 2024
Trump won 304, losing two votes to faithless electors.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 9 Nov. 2024
In New Mexico and South Carolina, faithless electors could face a criminal penalty.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024
And in 1837, Martin Van Buren won a majority of electoral votes, but Virginia's 23 electors refused to support his vice presidential candidate, Richard Johnson, and became faithless electors.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2024
Thirty-five states and D.C. have laws against faithless electors.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024
In a 269-269 tie, that would mean just the two major-party nominees (though a faithless elector scenario could technically introduce a third candidate).
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2024
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Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Dec. 2024
At this point, the faithless elector scenario appears to be, thankfully, a theoretic relic of the past.
—Ryan Smith, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Assuming there are no faithless electors, that will give Trump a healthy 312-226 electoral-vote margin when the Electoral College convenes on Dec. 17.
—Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 26 Nov. 2024
Trump won 304, losing two votes to faithless electors.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 9 Nov. 2024
In New Mexico and South Carolina, faithless electors could face a criminal penalty.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024
And in 1837, Martin Van Buren won a majority of electoral votes, but Virginia's 23 electors refused to support his vice presidential candidate, Richard Johnson, and became faithless electors.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2024
Thirty-five states and D.C. have laws against faithless electors.
—Solcyré Burga, TIME, 28 Oct. 2024
In a 269-269 tie, that would mean just the two major-party nominees (though a faithless elector scenario could technically introduce a third candidate).
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2024
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“Faithless elector.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faithless%20elector. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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