Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Attend Your Local Electoral College Meeting On December 19
Despite the recent round of frenzy, the Electoral College will probably not subvert the will of their states’ voters and block Trump. Still, who knows? It’s a remote possibility. I’d probably peg the likelihood at something like 3%. Not great odds — but not zero.
I think it’s therefore a good idea for all interested citizens to attend their state’s Electoral College meeting on Monday, December 19. Even aside from the modicum of drama, it will make for a good civics lesson! Such meetings are open to the public and all take place at state capitol buildings or like facilities.
If there is any “drama” to be had, it will occur in states with Republican electors. And the notion of a “swing state” ceases to apply here, so what happens at the Austin, TX statehouse will be just as consequential as what happens at the Tallahassee, FL statehouse. In order for the proposed Electoral College coup to succeed, Republican electors need to be persuaded. We already know that at least one GOP elector, Mr. Suprun of Texas (who has retained a PR firm to handle all his media inquiries) has declared he won’t vote for Trump. Will there be more? Maybe. Who knows?
In states where Hillary won, the outcome is already foreordained, so not quite as interesting, but even that would be worth observing if you’re in the area. (Although, maybe one or two Bernie diehards will refuse to vote Hillary? It’s possible.)
For these reasons and more, I thought I’d compile a list of GOP electors’ meeting places, times, etc. I will personally be in Harrisburg, PA on Monday. Annoyingly, not every state has public information listed yet for when/where electors are supposed to meet.
Pennsylvania:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
Pennsylvania State Capitol — Chamber of the House of Representatives
501 N. 3rd St.
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Ohio:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
The Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square
Columbus, OH 43215
(Apparently you need a “ticket” but I’d dispute that, you can probably just waltz right in, or at least I would)
Michigan:
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. EST
Michigan State Capitol — Senate Chamber
101 N. Capitol Ave.
Lansing, MI 48933
Wisconsin:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. CST
Wisconsin State Capitol — Room 412E
2 E. Main Street,
Madison, WI 53703
Indiana:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. EST
Indiana State Capitol — State House of Representatives Chamber
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Florida:
Tallahassee, FL
(Exact time/location of meeting unclear: Governor gets to decide)
Update: Info from the Secretary of State’s Office
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. EST
Florida State Capitol — Florida Senate Chamber
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 39399
(Note: the person on the phone said “seating is limited” and no further members of the public can be accommodated, but I bet if you just show up you can get in.)
Mississippi:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. EST
Mississippi State Capitol — Room 114
400 High St.
Jackson, MS 39201
Alabama:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
Alabama State Capitol — Office of the Secretary of State
600 Dexter Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
Louisiana:
December 19, 2016
11:30 A.M. CST
Louisiana State Capitol — Senate Chamber
900 N. 3rd St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Arkansas:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. CST
Arkansas State Capitol — Old Supreme Court Room
500 Woodlane St.
Little Rock, AR 72201
Texas:
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. CST
Texas State Capitol — (Exact location not yet known, Secretary of State must announce)
1100 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
Oklahoma:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. CST
Governor’s Office (NOT the legislative chamber!)
Oklahoma State Capitol
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Arizona:
Unclear: no state statute appears to govern this, no announcement yet from Secretary of State http://www.azleg.gov/arsDetail/?title=16
UPDATE — Just called the AZ Secretary of State, who provides this info:
December 19, 2016
10:00 A.M. MST
Governor’s Conference Room (second floor)
Arizona State Capitol Building
1700 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Missouri:
State law exceedingly unclear, no announcement yet from Secretary of State: http://law.justia.com/codes/missouri/2013/title-ix/chapter-128/
Nebraska:
No time specified: http://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=32-714
Note: a 2014 law guarantees that all Nebraska electoral votes will be cast for Trump
Kansas:
Somewhere in Topeka at 12:00 P.M. CST
(Exact location not specified, nor is it even clear that the meeting would have to take place in the Capitol Building)
South Dakota:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. CST
South Dakota State Capitol (exact location unknown)
500 E. Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57601
North Dakota:
December 19, 2016
1:00 P.M. CST
North Dakota State Capitol — Governor’s Office (!!!)
600 E. Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, ND 58505
Montana:
Montana seems to have recently repealed all laws governing where/when electors must meet: http://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/13_25_1.htm
Idaho:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. MST
Idaho State Capitol (exact location unknown)
700 W. Jefferson St.
Boise, ID 83702
Utah:
Unclear: looks as though the Lieutenant Governor is in charge for some reason
Amusingly, Utah statute does not specify a time/location, but does specify that electors are barred from receiving financial compensation for their efforts
Wyoming:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. MST
Office of the Secretary of State (NOT the State Capitol Building)
2020 Carey Avenue
Suite 600
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Georgia:
December 19, 2016
12:00 P.M. EST
Georgia State Capitol (exact location unknown)
206 Washington St. SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
South Carolina:
December 19, 2016
11:00 AM EST (Or as SC statute puts it, “eleven in the forenoon”)
Office of the Secretary of State (NOT the South Carolina State House)
Edgar Brown Building
1205 Pendleton St., Suite 525
Columbia, SC 29201
North Carolina:
NC Secretary of State identifies the meeting place as such: “Old Hall of the House of Representatives in the State Capitol in Raleigh at noon”
(North Carolina might have the most convoluted election law of all in this area. Note that the Governor is required by statute to “proclaim” the election results once they are submitted.)
Update: I got a copy of the Governor’s proclamation stating the time and location
West Virginia:
December 19, 2016
NO TIME SPECIFIED
Office of the Governor
West Virginia State Capitol
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305
Kentucky:
December 19, 2016
11:30 A.M. CST
Kentucky State Capitol — Supreme Court Room (Room 235)
700 Capitol Avenue
Frankfort, KY 40601
Tennessee:
No time or exact location specified: http://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-2/chapter-15/2-15-104
Maine**:
December 19, 2016
2:00 P.M. EST
Maine State House — House Chamber
100 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
**Trump won 1 of Maine’s 4 electoral votes
Alaska:
December 19, 2016
11:00 A.M. AKST
State of Alaska — Library Archives Museum
395 Whittier Street
Juneau, AK 99801
Iowa:
December 19, 2016
No time specified
Iowa State Capitol (exact location unknown)
1007 E. Grand Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50319
******************
You continued support is requested and appreciated. There are multiple ways to give.
