One local elector weighs in on Electoral College

A local elector from Monterey County is speaking out against the Electoral College and the laws preventing voters from changing their pledged vote.

Despite some protests, Trump secured the 270 votes required to win. All of California’s 55 electors voted for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. One of them, Vinz Koller, thought about changing his vote if it could’ve kept Trump out of office.

“If you don’t have critical mass, people aren’t going to be willing to stick their neck out,” said Koller, “especially under threat of prosecution and the Trump machine coming after you.”

According to political analyst Dr. David Anderson, a vote against the original pledge is typically just a statement of protest.

“It draws attention, but it doesn’t really affect the process,” said Anderson. “In fact in some states, a protest vote is simply disallowed. They don’t count it.”

Anderson says most Americans don’t like the Electoral College, including President-elect Donald Trump, who tweeted back in 2012, “The electoral college is a disaster for a democracy.”

Koller has filed a lawsuit in California to change the rules for switching a vote as an elector and eventually eliminating the entire Electoral College.

“It’s time to do away with an antiquated and frankly, not functional, institution and just make it a vote of the people,” said Koller.

According to Koller, right now in California if an elector changes their vote, it can lead up to $1,000 in fines and three years in prison.