The votes have been cast by the electoral college today leading to an unsurprising victory for Donald J. Trump.
A massive campaign by Hollywood actors to persuade Republican electors to refrain from voting for Trump resulted in just one vote for their compromise candidate, John Kasich, by a Texas elector. An additional Texas elector voted for 2008 and 2012 Presidential candidate, former Texas Congressman, Dr. Ron Paul.
A larger number of Democrat electors refused to vote for Hillary Clinton. Seven electors from Washington, Maine, Colorado, Minnesota and Hawaii initially refused to vote for Clinton. Two were persuaded to finally vote for Clinton and one was replaced. Of note, three electors in Washington voted for Colin Powell and one for Faith Spotted Eagle, the chairwoman of the Yankton Sioux Tribe’s treaty council, the Tribe currently involved in the Dakota Access Pipeline dispute. Bernie Sanders, expected to receive any wayward Clinton electors, only received one electoral vote from Hawaii.
Five Democrat electors in total refused to vote for Hillary Clinton, versus the two that refused to vote for Donald J. Trump.
The final tally brings 304 electoral votes for Donald J. Trump, easily passing the required 270. Hillary Clinton received 227.
These votes will be received by the Congress on Jan 6th 2017, where they will count them once again. Donald J. Trump will then be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, Jan 20th 2017 on the steps of the Capitol building in Washington D.C.