DOOR THIS MORNING.
TODAY'S A BIG DAY FOR PRESIDENT
ELECT DONALD TRUMP... ELECTORAL
COLLEGE MEMBERS WILL FORMALLY
PLACE THEIR VOTES FOR THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
22NEWS REPORTER TAMARA
SACHARCZYK JOINS US LIVE TO
EXPLAIN WHY THIS YEAR'S VOTE
COULD BE MORE CONTROVERSIAL THAN
USUAL.
MEMBERS OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
WILL GATHER AT STATE CAPITOLS
ACROSS THE
COUNTRY TODAY, TO VOTE FOR THE
45TH PRESIDENT.
THIS TRADITION IS MANDATED UNDER
THE CONSTITUTION... AND USUALLY
GOES
EXACTLY AS PLANNED.
BUT - THIS YEAR COULD BE A
LITTLE DIFFERENT.
THERE ARE 538 ELECTORS IN
TOTAL... WHO ARE CHOSEN BY THEIR
STATE'S
POLITICAL PARTIES, TO VOTE FOR
PRESIDENT.
THEIR VOTES ARE SUPPOSED TO
REPRESENT HOW THEIR STATE VOTED
IN
NOVEMBER, BUT - THEY DON'T
NECESSARILY HAVE TO.
ELECTORS CAN TECHNICALLY "GO
FAITHLESS," AND VOTE FOR A
DIFFERENT
CANDIDATE.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT AT LEAST ONE
REPUBLICAN ELECTOR HAD SAID HE
PLANS TO
DO.
THE CONTROVERSIAL MOVE FOLLOWS
ACCUSATIONS THAT RUSSIA -
INFLUENCED
THE ELECTION... A CLAIM THAT
TRUMP HAS DENIED.
HOWEVER, MANY EXPERTS PREDICT
THAT EVEN IF A FEW ELECTORS GO
FAITHLESS, TRUMP - WILL STILL
GET THE 270 VOTES HE NEEDS TO
WIN.
THAT MEANS THE RESULTS OF THE
ELECTION - ARE UNLIKELY TO
CHANGE.
NO ELECTOR HAS EVEN BEEN
PROSECUTED FOR "GOING
FAITHLESS," BUT SOME
STATES DO HAVE LAWS AGAINST IT.
I'LL HAVE THAT PART OF THE STORY
