Donald Trump has not been elected President of the United States

[Platapus]

Donald Trump has not been elected President of the United States of America, well at least not yet anyway.

Or, why do we have an election 2 ½ months before changing office?

The Citizens did their part by casting their votes, either early, via absentee voting, or by showing up at the polls on 8 November.

Sure all the news stations have proclaimed that Trump won the election, but not to fast there. The 8 November polling is but one of the elections that selects the President.

The election for President is not until 6 January 2013. It is just that we won't be involved. Here is what will happen.

Between 9 November and shortly before 19 December, the various state election boards will be busy counting (and recounting) the votes cast on 8 November, the mailed-in absentee ballots, the early voting ballots, and the provisional ballots (after being verified). The popular vote determines which party's electors will be selected to represent the state.

Then the electors (13 from Virginia), will travel down to the State Capitol to take part in another election on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December (19 December). They will cast their vote for President and Vice President in two separate votes.

The Electors record their votes on seven "Certificates of Vote," which are paired with the seven remaining original "Certificates of Ascertainment." The Electors sign, seal and certify the packages of electoral votes and immediately send six of them to the President of the Senate, the Archivist of the United States and other designated Federal and State officials. These sealed votes include the names of the Electors and who they voted for (no secret ballot for Electors!)

The sealed votes must be delivered to the Senate no later than 26 December, 2016.

After everyone sobers up after New Years, both houses of the Congress will meet in the House of Representatives (and it does get crowded) and watch the Vice President physically count 53 vote packages on 6 January, 2017. While this will be with the New Congress (115th) in attendance, the counting is done by the "old" Vice President as that Vice President's term ends on 20 January.

Hey! 53 packages but only 50 states + DC? What gives?

48 states and DC have adopted a winner take all Electoral system. In those states (DC is considered a state for these purposes) what ever party gets the highest number of votes gets ALL of the electoral votes of that state). There are only two exceptions to this. Nebraska and Maine have adopted a proportional Electoral system. Nebraska and Maine, in 2013, will end up with 2 different Electoral votes which total the total number of Electoral votes for that state.

Both Nebraska and Maine use the same method for proportional elector voting. Two electors are selected on the basis of the statewide vote and two (for Maine, three for Nebraska) are selected according to outcome of the vote in each of Maine's two (Nebraska's three) Congressional districts.

So the Vice President will have to lick his vote counting finger 53 times this January before any one can be elected President of the United States.

OK, so if the President is really really elected on 6 January, when why do we have to wait 14 days until inauguration?

Well it used to be a lot longer wait. Inauguration Day was originally set for March 4, giving electors from each state nearly four months after Election Day to cast their ballots for president. In 1933, the day of inauguration was changed by constitutional amendment (20th) from March 4 to Jan. 20 to speed the changeover of administrations.

Pretty complicated process just to elect someone to blame.

[Catfish]

"Donald Trump has not been elected President of the United States"
Right, by sheer numbers of votes Clinton won. But since you have this special electorate system..

Does not matter. The difference is so small, that is is about 50-50 of the US society. I hope Trump will be able to be a president for all. His first speech after he won the election was of course more conciliatory.

[Jimbuna]

Anyone taking bets on a different outcome?

[Skybird]

It puts things into perspective when one does some calulations and include those people in the final results that were eligable to vote, but refused to do so. Because they are the strongest single camp.

Almost 219 million US citizens were eligable to vote. Slightly less than last time went voting.

Taking these 219 million, this is the way they distrubute:

43% decided not to vote.
27% voted for Trump.
27% voted for Clinton.
2.7% voted for others.

To what degree do the factions above represent all of the American population, including those who are not eligable to vote - all citizens, in general?

The total population currently is counted at roughly 325 million.

Of these 325 million,

33% were not allowed to vote (many possible legal reasons)
29% were allowed but rejected to vote.
18% supported Clinton.
18% supported Trump.
1.8% supported others

This means: not even one in five Americans (total population) supports Trump, and not even one in five Americans (total population) supports Clinton.

More than three in five Americans of total population did not vote or could not vote.

Almost every third American (total population) decided to not vote even though he would have been allowed to do so.

So:

To claim the American president "represents the American people", or that "all Americans have gone insane to allow this happening", is not justified, and a great exaggeration. In fact the reality sees the president representing a minority only, and the majority of people do not actively support Trump and Clinton.

Did all the math myself, correct me if I am significantly wrong with numbers somewhere, but not down to the digits behind the decimale, please: this is no statistic done for an academic paper.

[Skybird]

Note to myself - decimales are important, don't overlook them.

[Mike Abberton]

Originally Posted by Skybird

The total population currently is counted at roughly 325 million.

Of these 325 million,

33% were not allowed to vote (many possible legal reasons)
29% were allowed but rejected to vote.
18% supported Clinton.
18% supported Trump.
1.8% supported others

This means: not even one in five Americans (total population) supports Trump, and not even one in five Americans (total population) supports Clinton.

Your first section was more accurate when it said only 27% voted for Trump. In the second section, it is certainly possible (or even likely) that some of the 62% that couldn't/didn't vote would support Trump, but overall I understand you point that the Presidential vote does not really represent what everyone wants.

That being said, it's also very likely true that a good portion of the supposedly "pro-Trump" vote was actually an "anti-Clinton" vote. For me, I voted "anti-Trump" definitely not "pro-Clinton" despite that I technically cast a vote for her. Regardless of who won, I was not going to be happy about the result.

Mike

[Skybird]

Statistics are statements on the general outcome or trend of something, not on the individual's motive. They do not interpret or explain, but just describe the obvious events. Where they get used to try predicting probabilities, these again are just this: probabilities.

Statistics also do not allow to judge the single individual's behaviour that stands in front of you. Statistics are about groups and populations, not individuals. At best you can make assumptions about the probability the individual does this or that, as said before.

Im sure you know that. Just want to reiterate that.

BTW, the motive why somebody votes candidate A, is not relevant for the fact that his vote, may it be for conviction, may it be for protest, helps candidate A to claim victory. The voter thus still is responsible for his vote, in full. The motive does not matter for the result.

Statistics are descriptive and describe the factual event. Not more, not less. Using themin the right way while knowing about the can's and cannot's, turns them into extremely powerful tools of showing the truth. Its very hard and extremely unthankful to argue with a well-done, well-founded statistic. One just needs to always keep on mind what it is - and what it is not. Admitted, the persuasion to abuse them and to use them to twist and turn things, is immense. But it can be prevented - by rigorously sticking to the standards and not compromising them.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Donald Trump has not been elected President of the United States of America, well at least not yet anyway.

Or, why do we have an election 2 ½ months before changing office?

The Citizens did their part by casting their votes, either early, via absentee voting, or by showing up at the polls on 8 November.

Sure all the news stations have proclaimed that Trump won the election, but not to fast there. The 8 November polling is but one of the elections that selects the President.

The election for President is not until 6 January 2013. It is just that we won't be involved. Here is what will happen.

Between 9 November and shortly before 19 December, the various state election boards will be busy counting (and recounting) the votes cast on 8 November, the mailed-in absentee ballots, the early voting ballots, and the provisional ballots (after being verified). The popular vote determines which party's electors will be selected to represent the state.

Then the electors (13 from Virginia), will travel down to the State Capitol to take part in another election on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December (19 December). They will cast their vote for President and Vice President in two separate votes.

The Electors record their votes on seven "Certificates of Vote," which are paired with the seven remaining original "Certificates of Ascertainment." The Electors sign, seal and certify the packages of electoral votes and immediately send six of them to the President of the Senate, the Archivist of the United States and other designated Federal and State officials. These sealed votes include the names of the Electors and who they voted for (no secret ballot for Electors!)

The sealed votes must be delivered to the Senate no later than 26 December, 2016.

After everyone sobers up after New Years, both houses of the Congress will meet in the House of Representatives (and it does get crowded) and watch the Vice President physically count 53 vote packages on 6 January, 2017. While this will be with the New Congress (115th) in attendance, the counting is done by the "old" Vice President as that Vice President's term ends on 20 January.

Hey! 53 packages but only 50 states + DC? What gives?

48 states and DC have adopted a winner take all Electoral system. In those states (DC is considered a state for these purposes) what ever party gets the highest number of votes gets ALL of the electoral votes of that state). There are only two exceptions to this. Nebraska and Maine have adopted a proportional Electoral system. Nebraska and Maine, in 2013, will end up with 2 different Electoral votes which total the total number of Electoral votes for that state.

Both Nebraska and Maine use the same method for proportional elector voting. Two electors are selected on the basis of the statewide vote and two (for Maine, three for Nebraska) are selected according to outcome of the vote in each of Maine's two (Nebraska's three) Congressional districts.

So the Vice President will have to lick his vote counting finger 53 times this January before any one can be elected President of the United States.

OK, so if the President is really really elected on 6 January, when why do we have to wait 14 days until inauguration?

Well it used to be a lot longer wait. Inauguration Day was originally set for March 4, giving electors from each state nearly four months after Election Day to cast their ballots for president. In 1933, the day of inauguration was changed by constitutional amendment (20th) from March 4 to Jan. 20 to speed the changeover of administrations.

Pretty complicated process just to elect someone to blame.

Thanks for taking the time to explain how the electoral process works. Many are not aware of this.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

@Platapus, Are all those dates same regardless of year? I ask because your original post has 2013, 2016 and 2017 merrily mixed together.

[Oberon]

[Wolferz]

The only school to give out the highest diploma n the land.

But, wouldn't it be better to decide who gets to be president by having a good old fashioned duel?
Survivor wins!!!

[Rockin Robbins]

Yes! An American football stadium. In one end zone it's Donald Trump. In the other is Hillary Clinton. Randomly distributed between the 30 yard lines is an assortment of weapons, from rifles, shotguns, pistols, hand grenades, semi and fully automatic weapons. Each weapon contains a small amount of ammunition. In addition there are spears, swords and shields just to add variety.

5......4.......3......2.......1 Survivor wins!

At least it could help network television regain a little luster.....

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by kraznyi_oktjabr

@Platapus, Are all those dates same regardless of year? I ask because your original post has 2013, 2016 and 2017 merrily mixed together.

Just me, still not mastering the complexities of a computer keyboard.

The date of the electoral college changes as it is based on the day of the week.

The counting of the ballots is set at 6 January, but has been modified by law to move it a few days. I have not read whether it has been moved for 2017

[em2nought]

Originally Posted by Wolferz

The only school to give out the highest diploma n the land.

But, wouldn't it be better to decide who gets to be president by having a good old fashioned duel?
Survivor wins!!!

I'm not sure that would be fair. How many notches has Hillary added to her handle since Vince Foster?

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Yes! An American football stadium. In one end zone it's Donald Trump. In the other is Hillary Clinton. Randomly distributed between the 30 yard lines is an assortment of weapons, from rifles, shotguns, pistols, hand grenades, semi and fully automatic weapons. Each weapon contains a small amount of ammunition. In addition there are spears, swords and shields just to add variety.

5......4.......3......2.......1 Survivor wins!

At least it could help network television regain a little luster.....

Would that include "party play-offs" (lets say Democratic, Republican and Others Conferences) before going to "candidate semi-finals" and the "grande finale"?

Where can I buy tickets?