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USA TODAY

Key dates to remember between now and Trump's inauguration

Cy Neff and Margie Cullen, USA TODAY
Updated
3 min read

The long-awaited 2024 election showdown brought former president Donald Trump back into power and saw Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate. But what happens between now and January 20, the presidential inauguration? Here are the dates you need to know.

November 26: Trump's hush money trial

The first former U.S. president to face criminal charges, Trump, for much of this year, faced four simultaneous prosecutions over allegations ranging from his attempt to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign to his attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.

A New York jury in May found him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records tied to the Daniels payment, making him the first former U.S. president convicted of a felony.

Dec. 11, 2024: Certificate of Ascertainment of Appointment of Electors

Every state appoints a certain number of individuals, called electors, who will cast the state’s electoral votes for president and vice president. State parties choose a slate of potential electors before the general election, following general requirements set by the Constitution and federal, as well as any additional procedures set by the respective state. Then, voters select electors by voting in the general election. Electors pledge to vote according to the statewide or district popular vote.

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The executive of each state must issue a certificate of ascertainment naming and appointing these individuals no later than Dec. 11, 2024. The certificates include the names of the electors, the state’s certified election results, the seal of the State, and at least one security feature set by the state.

Dec. 17, 2024: Meeting and vote of electors

On the first Tuesday after the second Wednesday in December — this year, Dec. 17 — the appointed electors must meet in their respective states to cast their votes for president and vice president.

They then transmit signed and endorsed certificates attesting to their votes to officials in Washington, D.C., and their state.

Dec. 25, 2024: Electoral votes received

While it's not most people's idea of a Christmas present, the president of the Senate or the Archivist of the United States should receive the certificates from the electors on the fourth Wednesday in December: this year, Dec. 25.

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If they do not receive the certificates by this date, they will request them from the chief election officer of the state or states.

What do the election results mean for you? Sign up for USA TODAY's On Politics newsletter for breaking news and exclusive analysis.

Jan. 3, 2025: 119th Congress convenes

On Jan. 3, representatives-elect and senators-elect will be sworn into the new Congress. This process happens every two years on this date following federal elections.

In the House of Representatives, this is also the day that the Speaker will be elected.

Jan. 6, 2025: Congress Counts Electoral Votes

Jan. 6, 2025, is not just the four-year anniversary of the attack on the Capitol.

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It is the day when the House and Senate will count and tally the electoral certificates in a joint session, starting in the early afternoon. The president of the Senate, which is the outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris, will formally preside over the receiving and counting of electoral ballots cast in presidential elections and announce the result of the count.

Jan. 20, 2025: Inauguration Day

On Jan. 20, 2025, people will gather on the National Mall in D.C. to watch the swearing-in of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. The ceremony will take place at the U.S. Capitol starting at 12 p.m. ET, after which, the transfer of power from the former administration to the new administration.

Cy Neff reports on Wyoming politics for USA TODAY. You can reach him at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CyNeffNews

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: With Trump's inauguration on the calendar, other dates to remember

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