Today marks another significant Election Day in America as the Electoral College convenes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to cast their votes for the next president of the United States. This process, while ceremonial, plays a crucial role in determining the outcome of the presidential election.
Unlike the election six weeks ago, where millions of Americans voted for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the 538 electors participating in today's proceedings are bound by the results of the November 5 election. Trump secured 312 electoral votes, surpassing the 270 needed for victory, and also won the popular vote.
These Electoral College meetings are a formality that sets the stage for the formal certification of the presidential election in Congress on January 6. This date also marks the four-year anniversary of the storming of the US Capitol by Trump-allied rioters following his loss to Joe Biden. Trump is set to be sworn in for his second, nonconsecutive term as president on January 20.
The day's events kick off at 9 a.m. ET in Maryland, the first state to confirm its statewide results. Harris emerged victorious there and will be awarded 10 electoral votes. Throughout the day, electors from other states will convene to allocate the remaining electoral votes.
It is anticipated that Trump will surpass the 270-vote threshold sometime after 3 p.m. ET, with Texas's 40 electoral votes expected to be delivered in his favor.
While the process is designed to be anticlimactic, a new law enacted after the January 6, 2021, riots mandates that all electors and their selection procedures be finalized before Election Day. This precaution ensures that there will be no room for confusion or chaos caused by rogue delegates.
