WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump officially secured victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as Republican electors affirmed his win in the Electoral College.
With the final certification by Congress expected on January 6, this process is anticipated to be a formality, completing Trump’s path to the presidency.
Trump, 78, surpassed the required 270 electoral votes before 4 p.m., with Texas delivering the final boost to his win. As electors convened in statehouses nationwide, Trump’s victory became inevitable, marking another key step in the formal election process.
Amid Trump’s victory, Democratic Senators Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Dick Durbin (Illinois), and Peter Welch (Vermont) proposed a constitutional amendment aimed at abolishing the Electoral College. They argue that the system disproportionately benefits conservative, lower-population states and leads to an unfair distribution of power. Senator Schatz stated, “No one’s vote should count for more based on where they live. The Electoral College is outdated and undemocratic. It’s time to end it.”
However, the proposed amendment faces significant hurdles. To pass, it would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress and approval from three-fourths of U.S. states—making it highly unlikely to succeed. Despite these challenges, the push highlights ongoing debates over the Electoral College system’s fairness and relevance.
While the proposal to end the Electoral College is unlikely to change the 2024 outcome, it underscores the tension over how presidential elections are conducted in the United States. Despite winning the popular vote in the November 5 election, Trump’s victory was cemented through the Electoral College.
Critics, including those proposing the amendment, argue that the system disproportionately influences rural states while candidates focus on more populous areas like cities.
Trump has defended the Electoral College, claiming it forces candidates to appeal to a broader geographic spectrum of voters.
He suggests that if the Electoral College were abolished, Republicans might perform better by concentrating efforts on urban regions that often lean Democratic.
Despite the possibility of faithless electors (those who dissent from their party’s choice), no electors had publicly broken ranks by mid-afternoon on Tuesday.
Vice President Kamala Harris also maintained her slate of Democratic electors with no challenges or disruptions to the process.
The electoral ballots, which have been controversial in past elections, will now be sent to Washington, D.C., for final certification by Congress. Following the passage of the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022, the process has become more difficult to challenge.
The reform law aims to prevent attempts to overturn the electorate’s will, ensuring smoother certification procedures.
The Electoral Count Reform Act passed with bipartisan support, limits the ability to challenge slates of electors and restricts the vice president’s role in overseeing the certification. The law also raises the objection threshold, requiring one-fifth of each chamber of Congress to support a motion to dispute electors, reducing the likelihood of disruptions.
While previous certification processes have been marked by objections—such as Rep. Jamie Raskin’s challenge to Trump’s 2016 victory—2024 is expected to proceed with fewer complications. Trump himself made failed attempts to challenge the results of the 2020 election, attempting to pressure Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence to invalidate state electors.
The controversy surrounding the Electoral College and efforts to reform it continue to shape debates about U.S. election practices. While Trump’s win in the Electoral College is set to be officially certified, the discussions on how elections are decided in America are far from over. Whether to abolish the Electoral College remains a divisive issue that will likely continue influencing U.S. politics for years.
This rewritten version is optimised for search engine ranking by including relevant keywords and a clear structure while maintaining high quality and readability.
