Electoral College

The electoral college consists of electors from each state. Some states allow electors to vote for whoever they want, while other states levy penalties against electors who vote differently than the public (called "faithless electors").

No Legal Requirement
Electors in these States are not bound by State Law to cast their vote for a specific candidate:

ARIZONA - 10 Electoral Votes

ARKANSAS - 6 Electoral Votes

DELAWARE - 3 Electoral Votes

GEORGIA - 15 Electoral Votes

IDAHO - 4 Electoral Votes

ILLINOIS - 21 Electoral Votes

INDIANA - 11 Electoral Votes

IOWA - 7 Electoral Votes

KANSAS - 6 Electoral Votes

KENTUCKY - 8 Electoral Votes

LOUISIANA - 9 Electoral Votes

MINNESOTA - 10 Electoral Votes MISSOURI - 11 Electoral Votes

NEW HAMPSHIRE - 4 Electoral Votes

NEW JERSEY - 15 Electoral Votes

NEW YORK - 31 Electoral Votes

NORTH DAKOTA - 3 Electoral Votes

PENNSYLVANIA - 21 Electoral Votes

RHODE ISLAND - 4 Electoral Votes

SOUTH DAKOTA - 3 Electoral Votes

TENNESSEE - 11 Electoral Votes

TEXAS - 34 Electoral Votes

UTAH - 5 Electoral Votes

WEST VIRGINIA - 5 Electoral Votes

Legal Requirements or Pledges
Electors in these States are bound by State Law or by pledges to cast their vote for a specific candidate:


 * ALABAMA - 9 Electoral Votes

Party Pledge / State Law - § 17-19-2


 * ALASKA - 3 Electoral Votes

Party Pledge / State Law - § 15.30.040; 15.30.070


 * CALIFORNIA - 55 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 6906


 * COLORADO - 9 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 1-4-304


 * CONNECTICUT - 7 Electoral Votes

State Law § 9-175


 * DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - 3 Electoral Votes

DC Pledge / DC Law - § 1-1312(g)


 * FLORIDA - 27 Electoral Votes

Party Pledge / State Law - § 103.021(1)


 * HAWAII - 4 Electoral Votes

State Law - §§ 14-26 to 14-28


 * MAINE - 4 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 805


 * MARYLAND - 10 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 20-4


 * MASSACHUSETTS - 12 Electoral Votes

Party Pledge / State Law - Ch. 53, § 8, Supp.


 * MICHIGAN - 17 Electoral Votes

State Law - §168.47 (Violation cancels vote and elector is replaced).


 * MISSISSIPPI - 6 Electoral Votes

Party Pledge / State Law - §23-15-785(3)


 * MONTANA - 3 Electoral Votes

State Law - §13-25-104


 * NEBRASKA - 5 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 32-714


 * NEVADA - 5 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 298.050


 * NEW MEXICO - 5 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 1-15-5 to 1-15-9 (Violation is a fourth degree felony.)


 * NORTH CAROLINA - 15 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 163-212 (Violation cancels vote; elector is replaced and is subject to $500 fine.)


 * OHIO - 20 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 3505.40


 * OKLAHOMA - 7 Electoral Votes

State Pledge / State Law - 26, §§ 10-102; 10-109 (Violation of oath is a misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $1000.)


 * OREGON - 7 Electoral Votes

State Pledge / State Law - § 248.355


 * SOUTH CAROLINA - 8 Electoral Votes

State Pledge / State Law - § 7-19-80 (Replacement and criminal sanctions for violation.)


 * VERMONT - 3 Electoral Votes

State Law - title 17, § 2732
 * VIRGINIA - 13 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 24.1-162 (Virginia statute may be advisory - "Shall be expected" to vote for nominees.)


 * WASHINGTON - 11 Electoral Votes

Party Pledge / State Law - §§ 29.71.020, 29.71.040, Supp. ($1000 fine.)


 * WISCONSIN - 10 Electoral Votes

State Law - § 7.75


 * WYOMING - 3 Electoral Votes

State Law - §§ 22-19-106; 22-19-108

Links

 * US Presidential electors 2008
 * THE "FAITHLESS NINE": Presidential Electors who have defected in the past, Richard E. Berg-Andersson, (c) 2000, last updated October 28, 2008.


 * How the Electoral College Works, Kevin Bonsor, HowStuffWorks.