Congress Certifies Presidential Election, Reversing Course from 2020
The 2024 presidential election was certified by Congress today, with President-elect Donald Trump receiving 312 votes and Vice President Kamala Harris receiving 226 votes. The joint session of the House and Senate was a solemn and traditional ceremony, with few disturbances.
The certification comes four years after Trump’s supporters rioted inside the U.S. Capitol to protest his defeat in the 2020 election. Vice President Harris, who accepted the loss in 2020, presided over the session and maintained a neutral expression as she announced the final tally of Electoral College votes.
Despite the echoes of the deadly riot still reverberating through Capitol Hill, the ceremony was a tidy and uncontroversial affair. However, the event was marked by calls for accountability and a warning against “election denialism” and attempts to “whitewash” the events of the 2021 riot.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the Capitol riot “one of the most shameful, reprehensible episodes in the history of this great nation,” and warned of the dangers of election denialism. He also criticized Trump’s possible pardons for those involved in the riot, saying it would send a “dangerous message” and be an “insult to the memories of those who died” in connection with the riot.
Vice President Harris told reporters after the election was certified that “America’s democracy stood,” and that “our democracy is only as strong as our willingness to fight for it.” She emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of the democratic process and upholding the rule of law.
The certification comes as the Justice Department continues to investigate and prosecute those involved in the 2021 riot, with over 1,580 defendants charged and approximately 1,270 convicted. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement that prosecutors have sought to hold accountable those responsible for the attack on democracy with “unrelenting integrity.”
The event took place under heavy security, with the Capitol complex surrounded by law enforcement. The Homeland Security Department had designated the vote as a National Special Security Event, prompting a comprehensive security plan around the Capitol.