Oregon electors vote for Clinton; protesters gather

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s seven Democratic members of the U.S. Electoral College cast their votes Monday for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate who won in the state in the presidential election.

The electors also objected for the record during the ceremony in the Oregon Senate chambers to alleged interference in the elections by Russia.

All 538 members of the Electoral College were meeting in their respective states Monday to formally elect Trump president. In Oregon, the electors chose Clinton and her running mate, Tim Kaine.

Elector Frank Dixon, the chairman of the Democratic Party in Oregon, read a statement denouncing Russia’s alleged leak of information that favored Republican Donald Trump, who lost the popular vote but won enough states to send him to the White House in January.

Meanwhile, KGW reported about 200 people showed up in front of the state Capitol building to support Oregon’s electors and protest Trump’s Electoral College win.

The protest group, which met under the name of “The December 19th Coalition,” staged similar protests across the country, in an attempt to convince electors to not cast their official votes for Trump, which could keep him from reaching the required 270 votes needed to win the presidency.

“I definitely appreciate everyone being out here today and showing support for our electors, because I do truly feel that Trump is not qualified on many levels to represent us,” said Gena Dwyer, a teacher who was participating in the protest.

“Normally this is a boring formality,” said Trevor Phillips, a spokesman for the event. “This is an unprecedented show of support and protest. We’re just here to support democracy and come together.”