On Nov 5, millions of Americans filled out and submitted their election ballot. This year, the Fulton County ballot featured five presidential candidates and their vice presidents, twenty-five House of Representatives positions, nine Senate seats, ten county positions in Fulton County, two proposed state constitution amendments and two Atlanta city seats. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia voters set a new record of an almost 5.3 million voter turnout. There are 7 million active votes in Georgia. In the United States, about 64.5% of eligible voters (approximately 216 million) participated in this year’s election, reported the Washington Post in a recent poll, only one percent lower than the 2020 election turnout. Georgia’s position was crucial in the election because it was a swing or battleground state. This term applies to states where the two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, have similar support among voters. Other swing states included North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada. President-elect Donald Trump won the popular vote in all these states, although within a tenth of a percent in some. These states are important because the two candidates needed the state’s electoral votes in order to surpass the 270 electoral vote threshold. In the US, the election process is a two-step verification system. First, the American people vote for their preferred presidential candidate, called the popular vote. Based on the results of each state’s popular vote, the electoral votes of the state go toward that candidate. The electoral college is based on population, so in Georgia, there are sixteen electoral votes for the 11 million. The total number of possible electoral votes is 538, so for a presidential candidate to win the majority, they must win 270 votes. Trump’s victory was monumental because it was the first time a Republican president won both the popular vote and electoral college since former President George W. Bush in 2004. This year, Trump won the popular vote at a majority of 50.3% and earned 312 electoral votes. At 5:34 AM on Nov 6, Former President Donald Trump and U.S. Ohio Senator JD Vance were declared the winners of the 2024 presidential election. The two will be inaugurated as the 47th president and 50th vice president of the United States on Jan 20, 2025.
Timeline:
2024
July 15
At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, former President Donald Trump announces Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his vice president. Trump is declared the Republican Party’s official nominee.
July 21
President Biden announces his withdrawal from the presidential race. Vice President Kamala Harris announced her candidacy for president.
Aug 1
Vice President Kamala Harris is declared as the Democratic Party’s official nominee.
Aug 6
Vice President Kamala Harris announces Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota as her running mate. Harris and Walz are certified as nominated.
Aug 19–22
The Democratic National Convention is held in Chicago, Illinois.
Sept 10
9:00 AM: ABC hosts the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Oct 1
9:00 AM: CBS holds the vice presidential debate between Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz.
Oct 15
9:00 AM: Early voting starts in Georgia.
Nov 3
Vice President Kamala Harris reports she mailed her ballot to California, her home state.
Nov 5 – Election day
6:00 AM: First polls open (Connecticut, Eastern Indiana, Eastern Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Vermont)
7:00 AM: In-person voting opens in Georgia.
11:52 AM: Former President Donald Trump and his family cast their votes in Palm Beach, Florida.
6:00 PM: First polls close (using Eastern Time).
7:07 PM: Indiana is called for former President Donald Trump. Vermont for Vice President Kamala Harris and Kentucky for Trump followed shortly after.
11:18 PM: North Carolina, the first swing state, is called for former President Donald Trump.
Nov 6
12:58 AM: Georgia, the second swing state, is called for former President Donald Trump.
1:00 AM: The final set of polls close (using Hawaii–Aleutian Time). All polls closed.
2:24 AM: Pennsylvania, the third swing state, is called for former President Donald Trump.
5:34 AM: President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance are declared the winners after swing state Wisconsin is called in Trump’s favor.
12:54 PM: Michigan is the next swing state called for President-elect Donald Trump.
2:40 PM: President Joe Biden called President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him and formally invite him to discuss the peaceful transfer of power. Trump accepted the invitation four hours later.
4:20 PM: Vice President Kamala Harris delivers her concession speech at Howard University.
Nov 9
The final two swing states, Nevada and Arizona, are both called for President-elect Donald Trump. Trump won all seven swing states and secured 312 electoral votes.
Nov 13
President-elect Donald Trump visited the White House, where President Joe Biden congratulated him on his victory and vowed to help with the transfer process.
Dec 11
Under the Electoral Count Act, this is the final day for states to resolve any controversies over their electoral selections.
Dec 17
The state electors convene at their state capitals to officially vote for the president and vice president.
2025
Jan 6
Electoral votes are counted before a joint Congressional meeting. Vice President Kamala Harris, the president of the Senate, will announce the electoral result.
Jan 20
Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States and JD Vance as the 50th Vice President.