After the election is called, each state’s votes will be used to indicate which slate of electors voters want to appoint for the Electoral College vote. When voters submit their ballots on Election Day, they are actually determining which candidates’ and state parties’ electors they want to vote in the Electoral College. Once everyone has voted and the election winners in each state are called, the state’s executive is expected to prepare a certificate of Ascertainment of appointment of electors, which names the electors and the votes cast. The certificates must be issued at least six days before the Electoral College vote in mid-December.
On the day of the electoral vote, electors meet in each state and record their votes. Afterward, the electors sign, seal, and certify several sets of the votes. A sealed certificate of the votes is sent to the President of the Senate and the Archivist and has to be received before the fourth Wednesday in December. Then, on or before Jan. 3, the archivist transfers sets of the certificates to Congress. On Jan. 6, Congress meets in a joint session to count the electoral votes. The President of the Senate then declares the winner of the election. On Jan. 20, the president and vice president are inaugurated.
