BOSTON — Hours ahead of the time the Bay State's Electoral College members are due to cast their ballots for Democrat Hillary Clinton, hundreds of protesters rallied outside of the State House, urging electors in other states not to cast their vote for Republican Donald Trump.
Hoisting signs and hollering chants like "this is what Democracy looks like," the protesters filled the steps in front of the State House at around 9 a.m. Monday. Elizabeth Weinbloom, an organizer for the group Democracy Spring — the coalition sponsoring the rally — said the reason for rallying in a blue state like Massachusetts is to show support for electors in other states who might be having second thoughts about Trump.
BOSTON — A letter penned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1803, marking the passage of the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution updating the rules of the Electoral College system, was one of several historic documents on display outside Beacon Hill's House Chamber just prior to the convening of the state's 2016 presidential electors.
Prior to this amendment, American presidents were elected according to a system where Electoral College members picked two presidential candidates, with the top vote-getter being named president and the runner-up being named vice president.
