In the aftermath of the 2016 election, there have been protests in some states objecting to the victory by President-elect Donald Trump. Some protestors raise the fact that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the popular vote. This is the second time electoral votes and popular votes have diverged. A petition on change.org has called for state representatives participating in the Electoral College on Dec. 19 to change their votes to recognize the will of the people. But can they do that? Morgan Lyon Cotti, state program manager at the Hinckley Institute, can address how the Electoral College works, whether state representatives can change their electoral votes and what, if anything can or should be done be done to align these two ways of measuring the outcome of an election.

Morgan Lyon Cotti | 801-647-3654 | morgan.lyoncotti@hinckley.utah.edu