Post-Election Surprises

There were a few surprises revealed after the recounts and the Electoral College met on December 19. Here is a recap:

• More ballots cast in Detroit than there are voters

The city of Detroit Michigan did a recount, and in 37 percent of the precincts, there were more votes cast for all candidates than there are voters. But the worst of the problems were in Wayne, Michigan’s largest county, where Clinton got 66 percent of the votes. Officials couldn’t reconcile vote totals for 610 of 1,680 precincts, but certified the results of the election anyway.

• Trump gained 131 votes in Wisconsin recount

When all the recounts were finished, Donald Trump ended up with 131 more votes in Wisconsin than were first reported. The recount was in response to a request from failed Green Party candidate, Jill Stein.

• More Democrats than Republicans went rogue

During the electoral college voting on Monday, Trump ended up with 304 votes and Hillary Clinton had 227. Trump lost two electors in Texas to John Kasich and Ron Paul; Clinton lost five electors in Hawaii to Bernie Sanders, and she also lost four electors in Washington–three went to Colin Powell and one went to Faith Spotted Eagle, a Native American elder who demonstrated at Standing Rock against the oil pipeline.

Clarification on “Faithless electors”

A faithless elector is a member of the Electoral College who does not vote the way they had pledged to vote. Some electors are “unpledged,” and are free to vote for whomever they choose. Many states bind their electors by law to vote according to the outcome of the popular vote; other states have bound electors who have pledged to vote for the parties’ nominees.

Faithless electors are those who break their pledges and are are subject to be fines or may be disqualified for casting an invalid vote, and be replaced by a substitute elector. Electors generally hold a leadership position in their party, or were chosen because of years of service to the party. About half of our states have bound electors.

Continue praying for a peaceful transition. Pray for the safety and health of the incoming administration and that the new President will please God with his appointments and agenda.

Prov. 22:1 – A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver
and gold.