Fines for Faithless Electors Upheld by Washington State Court

Three presidential electors who wrote in Colin Powell’s name rather than voting for Hilary Clinton in 2016 can be fined $1,000 by Washington state for failing to abide by the popular vote, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

The votes by the three so-called “faithless” electors violated a state law which required them to vote for a person nominated by the party of which they are an elector. Clinton bested Donald Trump in Washington state.

The electors had argued that states can’t infringe on a federal responsibility outlined in the U.S. Constitution. They also said said that Electoral College members ...