RIGHT SPEAK: What Would Happen in the Electoral College if Trump Dropped Out?

Voters would need to understand the process, but they’ve been able to figure it out before.

There have been renewed calls for Donald Trump to end his candidacy for president. Perhaps the GOP would elevate Mike Pence to the top of the ticket, or select someone such as Mitt Romney. And it’s not too late — the Republican party can do so at this late date because the Electoral College, not the voters, ultimately selects the president.

It’s too late for one thing: changing the names on the ballot. Ballots have been printed. Many have been sent overseas to military personnel and to absentee voters. Early voting is under way in a number of states. The names Donald Trump and Mike Pence will remain printed on the ballot everywhere.

Assume that Trump drops out — admittedly, an unlikely proposition. The Republican party would choose a replacement candidate. Even though Trump’s name would still appear on the ballot, the GOP could inform the public that the words “Trump-Pence” are simply hieroglyphics. A vote cast for that ticket actually means “Pence-Kasich,” or something else.

That’s because on November 8, we’re not voting for the president and vice president. We’re voting for slates of electors pledged to support each candidate.

The Electoral College is our indirect mechanism for electing the president. Each state receives electors equal to the number of senators and representatives that state has in Congress. When we vote for a president and vice president, we are actually voting for the electors behind that candidate. Most states don’t print the names of the electors on the ballot, but they are the individuals who hold the real power. On December 19, the winning slates of electors, 538 in all, meet. They will vote for the next president and vice president. If a candidate receives 270 electoral votes, that candidate becomes president.