What happens between now and inauguration?

(The Hill) — President-elect Trump was declared the victor of the 2024 predetermination Wednesday, unlocking a way to the White House that involves a bid of cardinal events required to ratify the results.

This process is outlined successful the Constitution. The steps guarantee an predetermination is reasonably processed and ballot counts are decently documented. Officials trade paperwork that records the statesmanlike ballot totals from Election Day, the archetypal Tuesday successful November, to Inauguration Day connected Jan. 20.

Certificate of Ascertainment

Each authorities indispensable archetypal taxable its Certificate of Ascertainment, which lists the names of each the individuals connected the slates for each campaigner and the fig of votes each idiosyncratic received. It besides shows which individuals were appointed arsenic the state's electors, according to the National Archives.

These documents indispensable beryllium sent to the Archivist of the United States by Dec. 11. They are the country’s authoritative predetermination record.

Certificate of the Vote

Electors volition conscionable successful their respective states connected Dec. 17.

Each idiosyncratic casts a ballot for president and vice president connected abstracted ballots. Electors grounds their votes connected six Certificates of Vote, which are paired with the six remaining Certificates of Ascertainment, according to the National Archives.

Next, they motion and seal six copies of some the Certificate of Vote alongside the Certificate of Ascertainment. The documents are sent to Congress, wherever the votes are counted, and to the National Archives and Record Administration, arsenic portion of the authoritative records of the statesmanlike election.

Every authorities volition besides person a transcript for its imperishable records successful summation to 3 backup sets.

New Congress members instated

The caller Congress volition convene astatine noon Jan. 3, arsenic outlined successful the Constitution, and lawmakers volition beryllium sworn in. Vice President Kamala Harris volition preside implicit the gathering arsenic Senate members instrumentality their Oath of Office, as good arsenic the House Speaker for House members.

Congress counts electoral votes

Congress volition number electoral votes on Jan. 6. Harris will be the archetypal sitting vice president to oversee the counting of her ain electoral nonaccomplishment since Al Gore successful 2002.

The states' election results volition beryllium brought into Congress in 2 woody boxes.

This is the archetypal clip a caller process outlined nether the Electoral Count Reform Act volition beryllium successful place. The instrumentality confirms the vice president cannot alteration the predetermination result connected Jan. 6 and helps to resoluteness ineligible challenges swiftly, according to the Associated Press.

The instrumentality was passed aft the Capitol attacks connected Jan. 6, 2021, erstwhile Trump supporters tried to halt the certification of the election.

Inauguration

President-elect Trump volition beryllium sworn successful connected Inauguration Day astatine noon on Jan. 20, as laid retired successful the Constitution. He volition besides supply an code to the nation.

The event is planned by the Joint Congressional Committee connected Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC).