Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/19-465_i425.pdf
Page Number: 28.0

Cite as:  591 U. S. ____ (2020) 

7 

THOMAS, J., concurring in judgment 

upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not
more  than  One  Thousand  Dollars  ($1,000.00).”  §10–109
(emphasis added).  Other States have similar laws, first re-
quiring a pledge as a condition of appointment and then pe-
nalizing the violation of that pledge.  See, e.g., Ind. Code §3–
10–4–1.7(a) (2019) (imposing pledge requirement); §3–10–
4–9(d)  (stating  that  “[a]  presidential  elector  who  . . .  pre-
sents a ballot marked in violation of the presidential elec-
tor’s  pledge  executed  under  section  1.7  . . .  of  this  chapter, 
vacates the office of presidential elector” (emphasis added));
Minn. Stat. §208.43 (2020 Cum. Supp.) (imposing pledge re-
quirement);  §208.46(c)  (stating  that  “[a]n  elector  who  . . . 
presents a ballot marked in violation of the elector’s pledge 
executed under section 208.43 . . . vacates the office of elec-
tor” (emphasis added)).2 

But not all States attempt to bind electors’ votes through
the appointment process.  Some States simply impose a le-
gal duty that has no connection to elector appointment.  See 
ante, at 5.  For example, New Mexico imposes a legal duty 
on its electors: “All presidential electors shall cast their bal-
lots in the electoral college for the candidates of the political 
party  which  nominated  them  as  presidential  electors.”
N. M. Stat. Ann. §1–15–9(A) (Supp. 2011).  And “[a]ny pres-
idential  elector  who  casts  his  ballot  in  violation  of  [this
duty] is guilty of a fourth degree felony.”  §1–15–9(B).  Cal-
ifornia has a similar system.  It first imposes a legal duty
on electors to vote for the nominated candidates of the po-
litical  party  they  represent  if  those  candidates  are  alive.
Cal. Elec. Code Ann. §6906 (West 2019).  It then imposes a
punishment  on  “[e]very  person  charged  with  the  perfor-
mance of any duty under any law of this state relating to 
or 
elections, 

willfully 

neglects 

who 

—————— 

2 See  also  Mont.  Code  Ann.  §§13–25–304,  13–25–307(4)  (2019);  Neb. 
Rev. Stat. §§32–713(2), 32–714(4) (2016); Wash. Rev. Code §§29A.56.084, 
29A.56.090(3) (2019).