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On December 17, state electors gathered at state capitols across the U.S. to officially cast their electoral votes, formalizing President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.
Although the general election in November is often seen as the point where voters select the president, the formal process requires electors to cast their votes for the candidate who won the popular vote in their respective states. This is a critical step in the process of confirming the next president of the United States. Trump's victory marks a historic comeback after his loss to President Joe Biden four years earlier.
In the 2024 election, Trump secured victories in all seven key battleground states, earning a total of 312 electoral votes, well above the 270 needed to win. Vice President Kamala Harris secured 226 electoral votes. Trump's return to power underscores his ongoing influence in American politics, especially in pivotal swing states.
The Electoral College, established during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, serves as a compromise between those who wanted a direct popular vote for president and those who wanted Congress to select the leader. Under the system, each state is assigned a certain number of electoral votes based on its population.
These votes are cast by electors, who are typically chosen by the winning political party in that state. In 48 states and Washington, D.C., a "winner-takes-all" system is applied, meaning the candidate with the most votes in the state claims all of its electoral votes. For instance, California, which has 55 electoral votes, awards all 55 votes to the candidate who wins the state's popular vote.
Only Maine and Nebraska use a proportional allocation method for their electoral votes. After the general election, electors cast their votes for president and vice president, recording their choices on "Certificates of Votes," which are sent to the president of the Senate (Vice President Kamala Harris) and the National Archives in Washington, D.C. These certifications must be submitted by December 25 to be included in the official count.
The final count of electoral votes will take place on January 6, 2025, when Congress convenes to formally count and certify the results. This step is essential because it legally confirms the winner of the presidential election.
Any disputes, objections, or challenges to the results are resolved at this stage. The Vice President, acting as president of the Senate, oversees the process — in this case, Vice President Kamala Harris, who ironically will preside over the certification of her defeat.
One of the most controversial aspects of the Electoral College is the potential discrepancy between the popular vote and the electoral vote. While most of the time the two results align, there have been notable exceptions.
A candidate can win the popular vote but still lose the presidency if they fail to secure enough electoral votes. This happened in 2016 when Hillary Clinton received nearly 3 million more popular votes than Trump but lost the presidency due to his Electoral College victory.
This outcome stems from the "winner-takes-all" system in most states, which awards all electoral votes to the candidate with the most votes in that state, regardless of the margin of victory. Unlike other U.S. elections — such as congressional, gubernatorial, and local elections — the president and vice president are not directly elected by the people but are instead chosen through the Electoral College.
This system is frequently criticized, with opponents arguing that it gives disproportionate power to smaller states and can subvert the will of the majority. Supporters of the system argue that it ensures smaller states have a voice in presidential elections, maintaining a balance of power.
As it stands, electors have until December 25 to submit their Certificates of Votes, and the final tally will take place on January 6, 2025, in front of Congress. Trump's return to the presidency highlights his resilience and his ability to win over battleground states after his defeat in 2020.
Meanwhile, the fairness and relevance of the Electoral College system remain a hot topic in American politics, with debates ongoing about whether it should be reformed or abolished.
