Schedule from Now to Inauguration Day
Everything you need to know
Just because “Election Day” is November 5th doesn’t mean that the election will be settled that day. It won’t be. So I’ve prepared this handy schedule for you to print out and refer to as we move towards the next inauguration. It includes what others will do, and has some pointers for what you should do.
As a complete aside, the ONE AND ONLY thing that pollsters get right is the date of the election.
November 2, 3, 4: GO CANVASS!!! Call your friends and family. MAKE SURE EVERYONE YOU KNOW has either turned in their mail-in ballot or has a plan to get to the polls on the 5th. Call your local committeeperson and see if they need more greeters or poll watchers to fill out shifts on Election Day.
Also - buy your supplies. In addition to leftover Halloween candy, you will also likely need snacks and beverages. 1
November 5: If you haven’t yet, VOTE. Help this day in any way you can.
In the evening, settle in for the early returns. While you’ll be able to see the presidential returns and marquee races on the TV, it pays to have a set of websites for state and local races. Normally, you can view these through City/County elections websites, as well as State websites (normally through the Secretary of State’s main website.) If you need help finding these resources, let me know and I’ll help you.
WE WILL NOT KNOW WHO WINS THE PRESIDENCY ON NOVEMBER 5th UNLESS THERE IS A ROUT. Some Senate races may also be too close to call.
November 6, 7, 8: If you’re old enough to remember the commercial, “relief” is spelled “R-O-L-A-I-D-S”. As the slower states come in, the likelihood is that the last votes to be fully counted will come from Philadelphia. They have said that they will be posting the percentage of mail-in ballots counted each day, until they can announce a winner. I hope we’ll know sooner, but I think…
November 9: Final Presidential Electoral Vote count known. (I would like to be wrong about this, because I’d like to see the outcome I want to see before I go to sleep on the 5th, but my gut says “Saturday”, Friday at the earliest.)
INITIAL CERTIFICATION: Potentially through 11 December. The 2022 Electoral Count Act (full legislation here) says that all states must certify their Electors by 11 December, earlier than in the past, and issue their Certificates of Ascertainment. Different states have different dates for, and paths to, certification, and you can see the state-by-state requirements here.
As part of the same Act, the Governor of each state is responsible for submitting the slate of Electors (unless there is a different statute in a specific state). In addition, state legislatures cannot declare a “failed election” and mess around the way they did in 2020. If there is a problem, the Act requires expedited Judicial review.
There will certainly be counties which refuse to certify, and that’s going to court. Again. And they’ll lose. Again. This year, it will be more out in the open than in 2020 because more people are paying attention. Which brings us to…
LAWSUITS: Ongoing dates. In 2020, the Convicted Felon and his minions filed 61 court cases related to the election. They lost 60 of them. There are somewhere in the neighborhood of 165 active election-related lawsuits right now (the number flexes when things are decided, and new efforts are filed.) I thought of putting in a poll of how many lawsuits y’all thought might be filed, but it’s a fool’s errand: the Rethuglicans will file as many lawsuits as they can, just to clog up the courts.
RECOUNTS: November - December. Someone will demand a recount. Likely not of the Presidential vote, but it’s possible. More information than you ever wanted to know about recounts can be found in this excellent article here. Spoiler: between 2000 and 2023, only 3 recounts were successful.
MEANWHILE, IN CONGRESS:
House: Nov 12 - 21, Dec 3 - 12 and 16 - 19
Senate: Nov 12 - 22, Dec 2 - 20
Above are the dates that Congress will be in session for the remainder of 2024. FEMA and the SBA need more money for more disasters. The CR and the Farm Bill are only authorized through 20 December.
BACK TO THE CALENDAR:
December 17: Electors Vote in their States
The electors sign, seal, and certify six sets of electoral votes. A set of electoral votes consists of one Certificate of Ascertainment and one Certificate of Vote. That’s ONE SET - NOT two sets like certain states did in 2020.
By December 25: Electoral Votes Arrive
Electoral votes must be received by the President of the Senate and the Archivist no later than the fourth Wednesday in December. This year, the fourth Wednesday in December? MERRY CHRISTMAS!
By January 3, 2025: Archivist Transfers Certificates to Congress
From the National Archives:
As the new Congress assembles, the Archivist transmits sets of Certificates to Congress, as requested. This generally happens when the Senate does not receive its set of Certificates on time. The transfer occurs in late December or early January when OFR’s Legal staff meets with representatives of the Secretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House, and Congressional Parliamentarians. Source.
January 6, 2025: The Count
We all remember January 6th, 2021. In all likelihood, very few of you followed the count in any prior year, but normally, it’s just ceremonial, and peaceful. This year, due to the Electoral Count Act of 2022, there are some changes from prior years. First, it is now in writing that the VP’s role is only ceremonial. In addition, any objection must come from 20% of the House AND 20% of the Senate, replacing the old way when any individual could object. Any objections must be in writing, and if they exist, the two chambers retire to discuss. There are only two legit objections: there is a legitimate problem with the Certificate of Ascertainment or there was a problem with an individual Elector. Then the Joint Session would reconvene. Meeting the 20% threshold is unlikely.
This year, the counting and certification of the Electoral College vote has been designated as a “National Special Security Event.” Led by the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security, as requested by the Mayor of Washington, DC, there’s a committee that will plan for any problems, and be in a position to make sure that 2021 cannot happen again.
January 20, 2025: Noon - Inauguration
Fingers crossed. Don’t hope - Vote! Don’t worry - WORK! If you want tickets, and you’ve worked for the campaign, you may be able to score tickets through those contacts. In addition, elected officials have tickets. You can also just GO and be part of the huge crowd on the Mall. If you’ve never been to an inauguration, it’s a really fun time2
Not that you care…but I watch election returns in my living room. On my cocktail table are always a computer, an iPad and one or two iPhones. Across the room is my TV that is bigger than I am. (I am a vidiot.) The computer and iPad are set to the websites that can get me more real-time info than the TV will provide.
Although I am a very poor eater, I need to be surrounded by WAAAAY too much food. This year, all of the food will be in containers, because my little dog Alex is known to jump on the table and steal food, and I can’t risk him messing with my electronics. Likewise, all beverages will be in sealed bottles, the caps only removed when I’m drinking, and then replaced, to avoid electronic interference.
I will be dressed in campaign swag, plus sneakers for when I need to run outside and actually RUN AROUND while screaming (quietly to not disturb my neighbors). This is my older dog Fiona’s favourite part of Election Night because she runs around with me and barks as I scream. (She doesn’t care whether the neighbors hear her.)
Yes, I plan ahead for all my supplies.
Let’s be honest — OUR inaugurations are a ton of fun. The other side, not so much - they tend to be dour and pedestrian. If you’ve ever lived in the DC area, it’s ALWAYS more fun when the Democrats are in power - the parties are better! Even the Embassy parties!