Longshot campaign to dump Trump explores its merits

Although 138 million Americans voted Nov. 8th, Donald Trump's victory won't be official until Monday, when members of the Electoral College cast their ballots. 

There's a longshot campaign underway to persuade them to dump Trump

“Donald Trump is unfit for the Presidency. The electors meet on Dec. 19th, so time is short,” Daniel Brezenoff said.

Brezenoff argued Hillary Clinton got 3 million more popular votes than Trump and therefore should become president.

Trump won states with 306 electoral votes, 36 more than the minimum 270 he'll need. At least four groups hope to foment a revolt of electors, running newspaper ads, even offering free legal representation.

Electors are scheduled to cast their votes next Monday at noon in the 50 state capitols and the District of Columbia. Some favor a Republican other than Trump. The Republican National Committee's launched a campaign to keep electors pledged to Trump in line.

The Founding Fathers who created the Electoral College in 1789 meant for electors to make their own decisions, independent of the popular vote. That little understood concept now offends many.

“What gives them the right to go and say anything other? We're not, we're not in the 1700s any more!” Brian Marko, a Chicago resident, said.

Heather Wanderski of Chicago shared that sentiment.

“I feel like they should abolish the Electoral College altogether,” Wanderski said. “I feel like what they really need to do is focus on the popular vote, because every person deserves an individual vote.”

For this unprecedented revolt to succeed, at least 37 electors pledged to Trump would have to vote for someone else next Monday.

If no candidate gets the required 270 electoral votes, the contest would be thrown into the House of Representatives, where Republicans enjoy a large majority.