COLUMBUS – A small group of protesters reportedly gathered outside Ohio’s Statehouse Monday as members of the Electoral College prepared to gather to sign off on Donald Trump’s victory in the state’s 2016 presidential election.
Ohio Secy. of State Jon Husted will convene the 2016 Electoral College in the Senate Chamber of the Ohio Statehouse Monday, Dec. 19, 2016 at noon. It is required that the Electoral College convene on the first Monday following the second Wednesday of December following a Presidential Election.
The Republican electors in Ohio tell The Associated Press they haven’t heard of any plans to vote for anyone but the New York businessman because the Trump campaign had a hand in selecting this year’s electors and they all backed him in the November election.
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Trump won 51 percent of the vote in Ohio to Hillary Clinton’s 43 percent.
Ohio law calls on the state’s 18 electors to vote for the nominee of the party that appointed them.
State Rep. Christina Hagan (R-Alliance) on Monday resigned her position as an elector because she had been the target of a lawsuit in Stark County which claimed that the state constitution prohibited members of the General Assembly from serving as members of the Electoral College.
“It is unfortunate that the extreme left has engaged in what is the most obvious display of partisan and extreme political bullying that can occur. I however will gladly resolve any potential frivolous lawsuits from moving forward by resigning my opportunity to chair and cast a vote as a member of the Electoral College in order to ensure no delay in the official election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States. –St. Rep. Christina Hagan (R-Alliance)
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed she would have had to resign either her seat in the House or in the Electoral College because the constitution forbids lawmakers from serving in any other state or federal office without first resigning their seat in the Ohio legislature.
Some electors who backed Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the Republican Primary say they have no plans to vote for him over Trump.
Husted reported that the Senate chambers at the Statehouse were filled to capacity and overflow crowds were being accomodated in the atrium and rotunda.