Electoral College vote moves Trump another step toward officially becoming president

CONCORD, N.H. – Presidential electors are gathering at state capitals across the country on Tuesday to cast their electoral votes in the 2024 election, a key step in formalizing President-elect Trump’s White House victory last month over Vice President Kamala Harris.

At the New Hampshire Statehouse, the state’s four electors cast ballots on behalf of Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, in a largely ceremonial vote. 

Harris edged Trump by roughly three percentage points to carry New Hampshire, the only swing state in New England.

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New Hampshire's four electors are sworn in by Secretary of State Dave Scanlon as the Electoral College vote takes place in state capitals across the country, in Concord, New Hampshire, on Dec. 17, 2024. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

"This is the formal vote for President and Vice President of the United States," New Hampshire Secretary of State Dave Scanlan, who presided over the procedure, said. "Every state in the country right now is going through this process."

New Hampshire was one of four states, along with Indiana, Tennessee and Vermont, to lead off Tuesday's Electoral College voting.

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When Americans cast their ballots in a White House election, they’re technically voting for state electors committed to supporting their choice for president and vice president. The electors are expected to vote in accordance with the outcome of the popular vote in their state. 

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire places a wax seal of the state to secure the envelopes holding the electors' ballots, as the Electoral College vote is held at state capitals across the country, in Concord on Dec. 17, 2024. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

The electoral votes from the states will be certified on Jan. 6 during a joint session of Congress. And Trump will be inaugurated as president two weeks later, on Jan. 20.

The political parties in each state choose their slate of electors ahead of the general election. 

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Trump convincingly won the presidential election, winning the popular vote for the first time in three tries, and carrying all seven of the crucial battleground states that were heavily contested. 

The former and future president ended up winning the electoral vote, 312 to 226, over Harris.