The United States presidential election is set to take place on November 5th, with former Republican President Donald Trump facing off against current Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. As we approach the inauguration date in January next year, what are the key events related to the election?
November 5th: Election Day. The election results may take several days to become clear, especially if the results are close and postal voting plays a significant role.
November 26th: The verdict on the “hush money” case involving Trump. At the end of May this year, Trump became the first sitting or former U.S. president to be convicted. He was found guilty of fabricating documents to cover up payments to a pornographic actress as hush money. He denies any wrongdoing, and the verdict was originally scheduled for September 18th.
December 17th: The Electoral College in each state and the District of Columbia meets in their respective states to vote for the President and Vice President.
The Electoral College system is a crucial component of the U.S. presidential election. When voters cast their ballots on November 5th, they are not only choosing their preferred presidential candidate but also electing “electors.”
The number of electors is determined based on the population of each state. There are a total of 538 electors in the United States. California has the highest number of electors with 55, while the states with the smallest populations have only three electors.
These electors form the Electoral College. Each elector represents one electoral vote, and a presidential candidate needs to secure a majority of the electoral votes, which is 270 or more, to be elected president.
Typically, most states allocate all their electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote in that state. For example, if the Republican presidential candidate wins 50.1% of the vote in Pennsylvania, all 19 electoral votes from the state would go to that candidate.
This system can sometimes result in a candidate with the most votes not being elected president.
December 25th: The President of the Senate (the Vice President, currently Kamala Harris) and the Archivist must receive the electoral votes by this date.
January 6, 2025: The Vice President presides over the joint session of Congress to count the votes of the Electoral College, announce the election results, and declare the winner.
January 20th: The elected President and Vice President are inaugurated into office.
This article drew information from reports by the Central News Agency.