Every four years, on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, an election determines the new president for the following four years. Each candidate needs a certain number of electoral votes to claim the presidency. But the process doesn’t end there. On January 20th, after the election, an important event declares the candidate with the most electoral votes as president.
The latest election was on November 5th, 2024. The first two candidates were Donald Trump and Joe Biden, but soon after, Biden dropped out and Kamala was elected as the next candidate for the democratic party. As votes poured in from people all over America, they either supported giving Trump a second term in office or making Kamala Harris, the vice president for 2020 to 2024, president. Votes don’t directly decide the president. Voters choose electors who back their choice of candidate for those roles.
While the winner is declared on the night of the election, it may not be the final result. Vote counting is quite complicated, especially for the United States, due to the sheer size of the country. On the night of the election, Donald John Trump was named the President of the United States of America for the next four years.
January 20th, 2025 was when Inauguration Day took place this year. This is the day that officially declares the winner of the election, the President of America. The inauguration ceremony takes place at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC. According to usa.gov, “The inauguration is planned by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC). Inaugural events include the swearing-in ceremony, the inaugural address, and the pass in review.” At noon, the president takes the presidential oath: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) 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.”
Election and inauguration days are some of the most important days as they determine the president for the following four years. On election day, citizens of America can cast a vote and at the end of the day, the candidate with the most electoral votes is declared President of the United States. Inauguration Day officially announces the winning candidate as President. These events can severely affect American citizens and play a big role in their lives.
Sources:
https://news.sky.com/story/us-election-what-exactly-happens-on-the-night-13227124
https://www.usa.gov/inauguration
https://www.cnn.com/election/2024/results/president?election-data-id=2024-PG&election-painting-mode=projection-with-lead&filter-key-races=false&filter-flipped=false&filter-remaining=false
