Dennis Scranton – one of the 538 members of America’s binding Electoral College – thinks gay people should be hanged.

The 93-year-old made the shocking comments in a Facebook post back in 2010, comparing gay people to decorative fruits.

“I think fruits are decorative. Hang up where they can be seen and appreciated. Call Wyoming for display instructions,” he said.

Wyoming is the site where Matthew Shepard was severely beaten, tied to a fence and left for dead just outside of Laramie in the late 1990s.

Contacted by The Gazette newspaper, Mr Scranton stood by his calls for execution of gay people.

“Don’t forget, I’m 93 years old. I come from a different era. I hadn’t heard of anyone being homosexual until I joined the Navy, and then I encountered them,” Scranton said. “We were raised with good morals.”

He also wrote that “marriage is between a man and a woman!”

Mr Scranton is one of three Electoral College members representing the state of Montana.

As an Electoral College member, he is one of the people who will make Donald Trump the next president, despite Hillary Clinton receiving two million more votes.

President elect Trump has already begun appointing a series of anti-LGBT politicians to senior positions.

Montana Republican Chairman Jeff Essmann said the remarks don’t represent the party – but Scranton was still fit to serve as an elector.

“It’s a ceremonial function. If people choose to be outraged, I guess they can be. It’s a free country,” Essmann said.

“Some people mellow as they age, some people say, ‘I’m over X-years of age and I can say whatever I want.’ Mr. Scranton has taken the second path.”