What happens after US election day? All the key dates you need to know about
Americans are about to head to the polls to vote for president on November 5, but US election day is far from the end of the electoral process.
Almost a quarter of a year passes between ballots being cast and the next president being sworn in.
These are the key dates you need to know about. Note all dates are listed in local US time, roughly half a day behind AEDT.
November 6-December 11: States certify election results
After votes are cast, states have to certify them. This happens both at a local or county level, and a state-wide level.
Because electoral law differs from state to state, exactly when each jurisdiction completes certification varies across the US, but the process must be complete by December 11.
Members of Georgia’s Electoral College are sworn in before casting their votes at the state Capitol on December 14, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP)
December 17: The Electoral College votes
The US election isn’t a direct vote for president. Rather, voters are technically voting for which Electoral College electors will represent their state.
On December 17, those electors meet in their states to officially record their votes for president and vice president.
Those vote certificates must be received by the US Senate president no later than the fourth Wednesday of December – which this year happens to fall on Christmas Day.
Boxes containing Electoral College votes are opened as a joint session of the House and Senate convenes to confirm the electoral votes cast in November’s election, at the Capitol, Jan 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
January 3: Congressional representatives and senators sworn in
The congressmen and women and senators who won their elections on November 5 are sworn in.
Vote certificates also have to be transferred to Congress by this date.
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January 6: Congress counts Electoral College votes
A special joint session of Congress is held to count the Electoral College votes – whichever candidate gets 270 votes or more is then declared to have been elected president, and the same goes for vice president.
January 6 is, of course, an infamous date in American history. It was during this joint session four years ago when Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to stop Joe Biden from being declared president.
Donald Trump supporters stormed the Capitol during the join sitting of Congress to count votes from the last election. (Photo by Samuel Corum / Getty Images)
There will be a slight quirk this year in that Kamala Harris is both running for president and, as the current vice president, will preside over the joint sitting.
A similar occurrence happened after the 2000 election, when Al Gore declared George W. Bush had been elected president after an extraordinarily close and controversial election between the two men.
January 20: Inauguration day
The candidate who wins the most Electoral College votes is sworn in as president at midday, Washington time, taking the Oath of Office and beginning their four-year term.
