| In Oregon, the Democrats admitted that Rutherford Hayes, the Republican presidential nominee, had won the popular vote, but they decided to dispute one of the three Republican electors, John Watts, on a technicality. The U.S. Constitution stipulates that no elected or appointed official may serve as a presidential elector. Watts was a local postmaster, an appointive government position. He had, however, resigned his job a week after winning a slot as one of Oregon’s electors and before the scheduled meeting of the Electoral College on December 6. |
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