US Election: Key dates before 2025 inauguration as Trump wins

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has emerged victorious in the 2024 election, securing over 270 electoral votes across seven key battleground states.

Multiple media sources reported this on Wednesday, with world leaders extending their congratulations to the President-elect.

Addressing a massive crowd in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump expressed gratitude to the American people, declaring, “I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honour of being elected your 47th president… I will not rest until we have delivered a strong, safe, and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve,” as reported by the India Times Express.

Meanwhile, the 46th President, Joe Biden, now has 75 days remaining in his term, with the inauguration scheduled for January 20, 2025, on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Biden’s administration has pledged to uphold a peaceful transition. “This president believes in the peaceful transfer of power, and that’s what you’re going to see this president do,” said spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, as reported by The Economics Times.

Why the Long Transition?

The agency explained that the U.S. Constitution originally allowed a lengthy transition period to accommodate the slow travel and communications of an agrarian 18th-century America.

This extended timeline remains crucial for contemporary transitions, providing the president-elect time to assemble a cabinet, develop policies, and prepare for office.

The Economic Times and Time outlined several significant dates post-election, which ensure the integrity of the electoral process. Here are the highlights:

Key Dates Between Election Day and Inauguration Day

November 7 – Certification of State Results Begins
After the initial vote count, states begin verifying results. States such as Delaware certify results early, while key battlegrounds like Georgia,
Michigan and Nevada have until late November. Arizona completes this process by December 2, with other states following similar deadlines.

November 11 – Presidential Transition Briefings
Should there be ambiguity in the winner by this date, federal agencies begin parallel briefings for both campaign teams. This was further reinforced by the 2022 Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, ensuring smooth transition preparation even in contested outcomes.

November 26 – Trump Sentencing in Hush Money Case
Trump’s legal hurdles continue, as he faces sentencing for his conviction related to hush-money payments made in 2016. The New York State Supreme Court will rule on potential penalties, although these state-level convictions cannot be pardoned by a sitting president, as confirmed by Time.

December 11 – State Executives Sign Certificates of Ascertainment
By this date, governors are required to sign certificates allocating their state’s electors to the winning candidate. These documents confirm each state’s electoral votes and are sent to Congress and the Archivist of the United States.

December 17 – Electoral College Voting
The Electoral College officially convenes on the first Tuesday following the second Wednesday of December, which in 2024 falls on December 17. Electors from each state cast their votes, sealed with the certificates signed by governors, and these are forwarded to Congress.

December 25 – Arrival of Electoral Votes in D.C.
Electoral votes must arrive by the fourth Wednesday in December, which this year is Christmas Day. If votes are delayed, the Archivist or the Senate President can request additional copies from state election officials.

January 3 – New Congress Sworn In
Members of the new Congress are sworn in, with the House electing its Speaker. The newly seated Congress will later count the electoral votes.

January 6 – Congressional Count of Electoral Votes
On January 6, at 1 p.m., the electoral votes are counted in a joint session presided over by Vice President Kamala Harris. Following reforms from the Electoral Count Reform Act, the vice president’s role in this process is purely ceremonial, clarifying the limited scope for objections to the electoral count.

January 20 – Inauguration Day
The president-elect will take the Oath of Office around noon, marking the official transfer of power. Biden has confirmed he will attend the ceremony, underscoring his commitment to a peaceful transition.
According to Times, each of these milestones upholds the integrity of the U.S. presidential transition, reflecting the careful balance between electoral tradition and legal safeguards to ensure a seamless transition of power.