Missouri presidential electors formally cast votes for Trump

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo -- Missouri's presidential electors cast all 10 of the state's votes for Republican President Donald Trump during a brief, formal ceremony Monday at the state Capitol.

Though Democrat Joe Biden won nationally, Trump easily carried Missouri with nearly 57% of the vote in the Nov. 3 presidential election.

Missouri's Electoral College members were chosen earlier this year by a vote of Republican Party members. The electors included state Sen. Dan Hegeman, state Rep. Glen Kolkmeyer and several other state and local Republican Party leaders.

They met in the ornate Senate Lounge, where they each wrote the name of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on paper ballots. The 10-0 vote for Trump and Pence was then publicly announced by a representative of Gov. Mike Parson's office.

Coronavirus precautions limited attendance to the event to about 50 people, though social distancing was not strictly enforced. The electors sat closely together, with about half wearing masks and the other half not.