Electoral college confirms Trump

The electoral college confirmed Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, eliminating the argument that they might vote for Clinton.

Washington state law requires electors to vote for the nominee of whichever party they pledged to. Therefore, all Democratic electors were required to vote for Hillary Clinton and all Republican electors were required to vote for Donald Trump. If an elector chose not to tow the party line, their vote may not be counted and they may be disqualified and replaced.

Only two Republican senators changed votes: Texas elector Chris Suprun, who changed his vote to Ohio Governor John Kasich, and Texas elector Bill Greene changed his vote to the 2012 presidential candidate Ron Paul. While many hoped the electoral college would swing votes against Trump, five Democratic electors changed their votes away from Clinton — three of them voting for former Secretary of State Colin Powell, one voting for Bernie Sanders, and one voting for Native American activist Faith Spotted Eagle. Of the five “faithless” electors, four came from Washington state.

The electoral college has come under heavy scrutiny recently, after Clinton won the popular vote but lost the election — which also occurred in the 2000 election. Some say the electoral college is unnecessary, as no other elected office require the intervention of electors. Governors, representatives, and senators are all voted in direct, popular vote.

Others argue that the inclusion of the electoral college is necessary, as its main design is to block unwise, if popular, persons from assuming the Presidency.

The final tally awarded Trump 304 electoral votes to Clinton’s 227.

The Vice President will announce the final vote totals to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 6.