Release: US Supreme Court unanimously defends state rules requiring electors to honor state laws regarding Presidential Electors
PIERRE, S.D. – In a unanimous decision today the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled that presidential electors can only cast their ballot for the candidate who won the popular vote in their state. South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg helped assemble a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from 44 states and the District of Columbia in filing an amicus curiae brief to join the cases of Colorado v Baca and Chiafalo v Washington.
The Baca case began in 2016 when a Democratic elector in Colorado attempted to cast his ballot for John Kasich, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton had won the popular vote in that state. Baca was removed by state officials and replaced with an alternate elector who supported the popular vote. He then sued the state of Colorado. The question this case brought to SCOTUS was whether the states have the right to remove electors who do not follow the will of the state’s voters in a presidential election.
Chiafalo arose in Washington state when three presidential electors were fined $1,000 each under state law after they cast their electoral ballots for Colin Powell for president instead of Clinton. The question this case brought to SCOTUS was whether the states have the right to sanction electors who do not follow the will of the state’s voters in a presidential election.
“I am pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court today emphasized the important role of the states in the election of the President of the United States,” said Ravnsborg. “This is a vital ruling, protecting the voice of the people of South Dakota, guaranteeing the state’s right to regulate our elections, and to ensure our voices are heard in the selection of the President of the United States.”
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Great job AG, keep it up.
So proud of all of our state leaders, they are all doing great things for our state lately!
The first sentence is slightly inaccurate. The Court did not rule that electors must vote for the winner of the state’s popular vote. It ruled that States have the power to enforce laws requiring electors to vote for the winner of the state’s popular vote. If a state has no such law, then the elector is not bound.
True.
I’m not tired of winning yet!!
Good job AG!
These methodical victories by Ravnsborg are adding up.
This ruling is one more step away from the republic that the Founders wisely created toward a democracy that they rightly feared.
Did you even read the decision?
This is a great victory for states, read the actual opinion.
It can only be seen as a victory for the states if one believes that increasing the power of the state legislatures is a victory.