Electoral College Officially Chooses Donald Trump as Next President

Texas casts deciding votes that puts Trump over the 270-vote threshold

President Obama Meets With Donald Trump In Oval Office Of White House
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Donald Trump will be the 45th president of the United States after the Electoral College voted on Monday, removing the last remaining hurdle between him and the Oval Office.

The state of Texas cast the decisive votes that put Trump over the 270-vote threshold.

The Electoral College vote is normally a formality. But it was designed by the Founding Fathers as a safety guard in case the candidate elected by the people is deemed unfit for the presidency.

Monday’s vote was the last hope for opponents of Trump, including many in Hollywood, to get enough electors to switch their vote from Trump top Clinton. Clinton needed 37 electors to join the effort in order to hit the 270 vote threshold.

ABC News reported Monday afternoon that four Washington State electors did go rogue, though not the way Anti-Trump protester were hoping. The electors were set to vote for Clinton but cast their Electoral College votes for other candidates instead.

The vote is still ongoing, but unless other faithless electors who were originally set to choose for Trump switch their vote, Clinton won’t end up with the expected 232 votes she won on Nov. 8.

There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that prevents electors from voting however they see fit. But in some states, including Washington, electors can be fined “up to $1,000” for switching their vote.

The Associated Press reported that thousands of protesters descended on state capitols across the country on Monday calling on Republican electors to go rogue and cast their vote for anyone other than Donald Trump. More than 200 demonstrators showed up at the Pennsylvania state capitol, chanting, “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!” and “No treason, no Trump!”

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