Mass. Representative Files Bill to Alter Electoral College Voting Procedure

Many are pushing Electoral College members to change their votes to Clinton.

On Monday, December 19, members of the Electoral College are expected to select Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States. But since his victory in November, there has been a push to somehow give that win to Hillary Clinton.

“She will not have enough electors to win,” said Paul Yorkis, one of eleven electors in Massachusetts.

Yorkis has always intended to vote for Clinton, but that hasn’t quelled concerns from people who are still opposed to a Trump presidency.

Across the country, the 538 electors in the college have received emails, letters and phone calls from voters who are hoping to convince members to prevent Trump from taking office. While only one Republican elector in Texas has indicated he won’t vote Trump, the effort to stop the president-elect has only grown in recent weeks.

“I think that folks are nervous, still surprised, still maybe a little shocked from the election results last month. They’re confused, angry and looking for solutions,” explained state elector, Jason Palitsch.

Because Clinton won the popular vote, many have called for an end to the Electoral College.

But Rep. Shawn Dooley, R-Norfolk, said there is another route for Massachusetts. Within the last couple weeks, Dooley filed a bill proposing the state adopt a model similar to Maine. Under the plan, the state’s nine congressional districts would each receive one elector who is required to vote for the district’s chosen candidate. There would also be two at-large electors who would follow the popular vote.

“We are taken for granted by the Democratic Party and we are written off by the Republican Party,” Dooley explained, “If all of a sudden one or two districts are in play, both the Democrats and the Republicans would be coming, talking to Massachusetts voters.”

Similar proposals have failed at the legislature in the past, but Dooley hopes the increased attention on the issue leads to further consideration.

Massachusetts electors will cast their votes at the State House on Monday at 3:00 p.m.

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