On Monday, Congress certified President-elect Donald Trump as the winner of the 2024 election. Lawmakers gathered under heavy security on the date required by U.S. law to validate the election. Outside, a snowstorm dumped several inches of snow on the city. One by one, a tally of the electoral votes from each state was read aloud to polite applause in the House Chamber.
With tradition and ceremony, the day played out as it has many times before. Representatives carried wooden boxes to the House to begin the process. Inside the boxes rested the states’ electoral certificates. As president of Congress, Vice President Kamala Harris led the session. She confirmed her own defeat by reading off the vote tally. The chamber broke into applause: first Republicans for Mr. Trump’s 312 electoral votes, and then Democrats for Harris’ 226. The entire process was completed within a half hour.
American democracy has proven to be resilient. Congress, the branch of government closest to the people, supported that resilient democracy on Monday. It affirmed the choice of the American electorate (the body of people eligible to vote).
A 2022 law made some changes to the Electoral Count Act. Raising any objection to election results now requires one-fifth of lawmakers. In the past, just one senator and one House member together could put forth an objection. But there were no objections during Monday’s session.
Harris said afterward that Monday’s process displayed “one of the most important pillars of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power.”
Trump said online Monday that Congress was certifying a “GREAT” election victory. He called it “A BIG MOMENT IN HISTORY.”
Pray for new leaders—especially the President—to have wisdom in the years ahead.
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. — Proverbs 16:3
