Two Colorado Electors File Suit to Change Their Votes

Two Colorado presidential electors pledged to Democrat Hillary Clinton have filed a federal lawsuit against the state's law requiring them vote for the winner of the state's popular vote, The Denver Post reports.

The electors are part of an effort to block Republican President-elect Donald Trump from taking office by denying him the 270 electoral votes needed when electors vote in their respective states on December 19.

Some states, such as Colorado, require their electors to vote for the candidate who won the state's popular vote, while others are free to vote for whomever they choose.

Polly Baca and Robert Nemanich filed the suit, and Republican Secretary of State Wayne Williams said he will replace them if they don't back down.

Baca and Nemanich say that violates the U.S. Constititution.

Williams shot back, "Instead of honoring the will of the Coloradans who voted for them, these two faithless electors seek to conspire with electors from other states to elect a president who did not receive a single vote in November. Make no mistake, this is not some noble effort to fight some unjust or unconstitutional law; rather, this is an arrogant attempt by two faithless electors to elevate their personal desires over the entire will of the people of Colorado. And in so doing, they seek to violate Colorado law and their own pledges."

Trump pulled a surprising upset win on election night, winning 306 electoral votes – though they are not official until the December 19 vote. The Democratic electors in Colorado are part of an effort to vote instead for Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who finished fourth in the GOP race.

They are hoping, though chances are slim, to lure enough Democrats and Republicans dissatisfied with Trump to vote for Kasich. The group claims one GOP elector has said he or she will join them, and one Texas GOP elector, where state law does not require voting for the state's winner, has said he will not vote for Trump and is considering Kasich.

For his part, Kasich has urged electors not to vote for him.

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