Election Results are in – Now What?

Here's what that all means:

Dec. 11: On Dec. 11, executives from each state issue a certificate of ascertainment, an official document which identifies a state's appointed electors. Once the election results in each state are certified, state executives send the certificates to the Archivist of the United States.

Dec. 17: The electors then meet in their respective states and vote for President and Vice President on separate ballots. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, electors sign multiple certificates attesting to their votes, sign and endorse the certificates and send them to officials in Washington, D.C. and their state.

Dec. 25: The electoral votes must be received by the President of the Senate and the archivist no later than the fourth Wednesday in December. If the votes are not received, the president of the Senate or the archivist will request the chief election officer of the state(s) to send the certificate that was retained in their state.

When does Congress count the electoral votes?

One or before Jan. 3, the archivist will send sets of certificates to Congress, as requested. According to the National Archives and Records Administration, this typically happens when the Senate does not receive the certificates on time.

Three days later on Jan. 6, the new Congress will convene and count the electoral votes. The vice president presides over the count and announces the results of the Electoral College vote. The president of the Senate then declares who has been elected President and Vice President of the United States.

When is Inauguration Day?

Inauguration Day takes place on Jan. 20 every four years. In 2025, Inauguration Day falls on Monday.

During the ceremony, the President-elect and Vice President-elect take the Oath of Office and become the President and Vice President of the United States, respectively. The inauguration ceremony takes place at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.