Skip to main content

You make this possible. Support our independent, nonprofit newsroom today.

Give Now

Teen 'faithless elector' from Washington state protests Trump presidency

caption: Washington state presidential elector Levi Guerra, center, joined by fellow elector P. Bret Chiafalo , right, announce that they're asking members of the Electoral College to pick a Republican "consensus candidate" rather than Donald Trump.
Enlarge Icon
Washington state presidential elector Levi Guerra, center, joined by fellow elector P. Bret Chiafalo , right, announce that they're asking members of the Electoral College to pick a Republican "consensus candidate" rather than Donald Trump.
Steve Bloom/The Olympian via AP

Another member of the electoral college from Washington state plans to vote for a Republican. That's even though Washington's 12 electors should be voting for Hillary Clinton since she won the state.

But this elector has joined a movement to divert votes away from President-elect Donald Trump.

A movement called Hamilton Electors wants to persuade 37 Republican electors nationwide not to vote for Trump. That would give Trump fewer than 270 electoral votes, the number he needs to take the presidency.

A teenage Democratic elector from Washington has her own plan: 19-year old Levi Guerra says she will vote for a different Republican. That way, if the presidential election falls to the U.S. House, another Republican can be considered.

Washington elector Bret Chiafalo helped start the Hamilton Electors movement. He says he might vote for an alternate Republican, too.

Chiafalo: "Partisanship needs to be dropped at this point, and the good of the country needs to be considered. The people we're talking about electing, I disagree on many policies with, but I don't believe they will divide the country like Donald Trump will. I think any of the moderate, compromise candidates will unite this country."

Chiafalo and Guerra have not specified which candidate they plan to vote for. Republican candidates popular during the state primary include Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Ben Carson. It's not clear if any Republican electors in other states plan to withhold their vote from Trump.

The name Hamilton Electors is a nod to founding father Alexander Hamilton. He said the electoral college would ensure America didn't elect an unqualified president.

Twice in American history, the House of Representatives has chosen the president because no candidate reached 270 electoral votes.

Why you can trust KUOW