COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – The Latest on the meeting of the members of South Carolina’s Electoral College (all times local):
1:15 p.m.
South Carolina’s electoral votes have been certified as cast for Republican Donald Trump.
Secretary of State Mark Hammond on Monday certified the nine votes cast by the state’s Electoral College members.
Electors said they had been contacted by hundreds of people from across the country imploring them not to vote for Trump.
After Monday’s vote, state Republican Party Chairman Matt Moore said he and the other electors were not swayed by the messages and called demands they support anyone other than Trump “sour grapes” from voters whose candidates had not been successful.
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11:30 a.m.
South Carolina’s nine presidential electors have cast their ballots for Republican Donald Trump.
The vote happened during a meeting Monday in Columbia. Protesters’ shouts could be heard outside the meeting as the results were broadcast.
Electors were required by state law to vote for Trump, who overwhelmingly carried South Carolina in November’s general election. But that didn’t stop electors from receiving thousands of letters, emails and phone calls urging them to drop their support for the president-elect.
Protesters gathered Monday at state capitols around the country calling on electors not to back the Republican. South Carolina Democratic Party officials say 1,400 people signed a petition trying to persuade electors to change their minds given the CIA and FBI’s conclusions that Russia interfered in the presidential election with the goal of supporting Trump.
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10:15 a.m.
Protesters opposed to Republican Donald Trump are making their voices heard ahead of the vote by South Carolina’s Electoral College.
Several dozen people gathered outside South Carolina’s Statehouse Monday morning, waving signs with messages imploring electors not to back the president-elect when they cast their votes.
Electors gather at 11 a.m. Monday. Last month’s popular vote determined electors nominated by the South Carolina Republican Party will cast the official ballots for the state.
Some Democrats upset with the Nov. 8 results have urged electors around the country not to cast their ballot for Trump. But state Republican Party Chairman Matt Moore has said he and the state’s other electors have not been swayed.
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2:10 a.m.
South Carolina’s members of the Electoral College are gathering to pledge the state’s nine electoral votes to Republican Donald Trump.
It’s part of the formal process to choose the next president based upon state-by-state voting results. Electors gather Monday morning at the office of Secretary of State Mark Hammond.
Last month’s popular vote determined that electors nominated by the South Carolina Republican Party will cast the official ballots for the state.
Some Democrats upset with the Nov. 8 results have urged electors around the country not to cast their ballot for Trump. But state Republican Party Chairman Matt Moore has said he and the state’s other electors have not been swayed.
Progressive groups and state Democrats are planning a rally at the Statehouse before the meeting.
