Nov 6, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Trump's timeline from election to the White House

April Rubin

Donald Trump, Melania Trump and Barron Trump all stand in front of several American flags. — President-elect Trump, former First Lady Melania Trump, and their son Barron Trump during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 6. Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Over the next 75 days, President-elect Trump's win will be certified by Congress and his presidential transition process will ramp up ahead of Inauguration Day.

The big picture: Trump will receive national security and intelligence briefings while the electoral vote process is underway.

Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be inaugurated on Jan. 20, per the U.S. National Archives.

Electoral College timeline

The following are key dates in the Electoral College timeline:

Certificates of Ascertainment

By Dec. 11: State executives will prepare seven Certificates of Ascertainment, which identify a state's appointed electors, at least six days before the meeting of electors.

One copy is sent to the U.S. archivist.

Electors vote

Dec. 17: Electors will meet in their respective states and vote for the president and vice president on separate ballots.

The votes are recorded on six Certificates of Vote, paired with the certificates above.

Electoral votes arrive by Christmas

Dec. 25: The Senate president and the national archivist must receive the electoral votes by the fourth Wednesday of December.

Archivist transfers certificates to Congress

By Jan. 3: The transfer happens in late December or early January when the Office of the Federal Register's legal staff meets with representatives of the Senate secretary, House clerk and congressional parliamentarians.

The 119th Congress will begin on Jan. 3 as well.

Election certification Jan. 6

Jan. 6: Congress certifies the election

In a joint session, Vice President Kamala Harris, as the Senate president, will preside over the count and announce the results of the Electoral College vote.
Objections to electoral votes must be signed by at least a fifth of House members and a fifth of Senate members.

Inauguration Day

Jan. 20: Trump and Vance will take oaths of office and become the U.S. president and vice president, respectively.

Presidential transition

State of play: The president-elect should receive a classified national security summary "as soon as possible" once elected, according to the Center for Presidential Transition.

Trump declined to receive intelligence briefings during his campaign to avoid accusations of leaking information.
Law requires the General Services Administration to provide office space and support services to elected presidents and vice presidents.

The other side: Transitional support for President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue through July.

Go deeper: Big red shock: Takeaways from Trump's election night romp

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