What happens between now and Donald Trump’s inauguration?

November 07 - American voters have spoken, and it's now official that Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States.

The Republican candidate won in the US presidential election against his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, on Tuesday, November 5. Yet before returning to the White House for a second term in office, the president-elect will have to wait for several events to take place, including states' certification of the results and the official Electoral College vote.

Until then, a transition period will begin, to allow the Biden administration to gradually hand over the reins of power to the new president's team. Here are the key dates to remember before Trump's official inauguration, which is scheduled for January 20, 2025.

Now that the election results have been called by the media and accepted by the candidates, a vote certification process begins across the country to enable state and local authorities to carry out any necessary recounts and resolve election-related disputes. Certification procedures and deadlines vary from state to state (November 25 for Arizona and Michigan, December 1 for Wisconsin, etc.), but all states must imperatively complete this process before the December 11 deadline, as required by an electoral count reform law passed in 2022.

The results are then certified by local officials (governor, secretary of state), and the Certificates of Ascertainment are then forwarded to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and Congress. During this process, the electors designated for each state are also formally registered.

December 17, 2024: The Electoral College vote

On this date, the 538 electors come together to form the Electoral College in their respective state capitals. This is when they officially vote for the president and vice president. These votes are then sent to the president of the Senate, no later than the fourth Wednesday in December, which this year falls on December 25. Certificates of this vote are also kept in the archives.

January 6, 2025: Congress certifies the results

Three days after being sworn in, Congress meets in a joint session to count the votes, certify the results and confirm the names of the president and vice president. The president of the Senate – the vice president of the United States – then traditionally officially confirms the results. Ironically, Harris, the losing candidate, will have to take on this role.

It was during this session, on January 6, 2021, that Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol to prevent the then-vice president, Mike Pence, from proclaiming Joe Biden's victory. After this interruption, the congressional session resumed that night to formally confirm Biden's accession to the White House.

January 20, 2025: Trump's official inauguration

The new president will take office on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, on Capitol Hill, in Washington. This date officially marks the start of Trump's second presidential term, and the end of Biden's.

The inauguration ceremony is punctuated by several key moments. Artists usually perform during this event. In 2021, Lady Gaga sang the American national anthem for Biden, while Jennifer Lopez covered Woody Guthrie's famous folk song "This Land is Your Land." In 2017, for Trump's first term in office, the anthem had been sung by a former contestant on the reality show America's Got Talent. Most of the stars contacted had declined to attend.

However, the most important event of the day usually takes place at noon, when Trump will be sworn in. Tradition dictates that the new leader places his left hand on the Bible (this is not a requirement) and swears before the president of the US Supreme Court to protect the Constitution by raising his right hand:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God."

Vice President JD Vance will also be sworn in at that time. Finally, Trump will deliver a closing speech. The day traditionally ends in a parade, signing documents officially designating the new presidential cabinet and then an inaugural ball.