Supreme Court rules against 'faithless' electors

States can require presidential electors to vote for the candidates they are committed to, the Supreme Court ruled less than four months before what could be another tight national contest.

The 538 members of the Electoral College are chosen based on the presidential vote in each state, and they, in turn, elect the president of the United States. States can require these electors to vote for the statewide winner or otherwise follow state laws, the court ruled.