Idaho’s four Republican presidential electors will cast their Electoral College vote Monday at noon. Elsewhere in the country there's been speculation on so-called faithless electors -- those refusing to cast their vote for their state's electoral winner. But here in Idaho, the concerns were not about who to vote for but who could vote, creating a last-minute scramble to find replacements for two of the four electors.
Article II of the U.S. Constitution states “no person holding an office of trust or profit under the United States shall be appointed an elector.”
According to the Idaho Statesman, two Idaho electors with federal jobs were prepared to cast their votes for Donald Trump.
Elector Lanye Bangerter works for Sen. Mike Crapo and Melinda Smyser works for Sen. Jim Risch. When the state realized the potential conflict of interest several weeks ago, they informed the two electors that their votes would be illegal.
Last week, the news became public. Monday morning, they formally were replaced by two GOP electors who don’t hold federal jobs and who plan to cast their votes for Donald Trump. The President-elect won 59 percent of the vote in Idaho and all four electoral votes.
The Statesman reports this is not the first time an Idaho elector was replaced because of this constitutional clause. The last time was in 2004, replacing a staff member of former Sen. Larry Craig.
Find Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
Copyright 2016 Boise State Public Radio
