Presidential elections -- Effect of vote

(1) (a) Each registered political party shall choose individuals to act as presidential electors and to fill vacancies in the office of presidential electors for their party's candidates for president and vice president of the United States according to the procedures established in their bylaws. (b) Each registered political party shall certify to the lieutenant governor the names and addresses of the individuals selected by the political party as the party's presidential electors before 5 p.m. no later than August 31. (c) An unaffiliated candidate or write-in candidate for the office of president of the United States shall, no later than 5 p.m. on the first business day that is at least 10 calendar days after the day on which the candidate files a declaration of candidacy, certify to the lieutenant governor the names and addresses of each individual selected by the candidate as a presidential elector for the candidate and each individual selected by the candidate to fill a vacancy in the office of presidential elector for the candidate. (2) The highest number of votes cast for candidates for president and vice president of the United States elects the presidential electors for: (a) except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the political party of those candidates; or (b) if the candidates receiving the highest number of votes are unaffiliated candidates or write-in candidates, the presidential electors selected for those candidates under Subsection (1)(c).