The results for the US elections are emerging. While the voting process has been completed, the winning candidate will only take oath in January. What is the reason? What will happen in the interim?
What will happen next in the US Presidential elections?
You must be thinking now that the voters have cast their vote for their preferred candidate, the election is headed to a close. But the presidential hopefuls must wait to become the President-elect.
Here is how things will pan out over the next few weeks.
On December17th, electors chosen by voters, will in turn vote for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates. These votes will be then sent to the US Congress for final verification.
On January 6th, 2025,the new US Congress will count these votes. Finally, when the votes are confirmed the candidate with the most votes will be declared the President-elect.
On January 20th, known as the inauguration day, the new President will be sworn in. An interesting fact is that the new President is certified by the outgoing Vice-President. So, will Democrat Kamala Harris announce Donald Trump?
How is a President-Elect identified?
First things first- let’s first understand who a President-elect is. A president-elect is the candidate who has won the presidential election but is waiting to take charge. The President elect works with the outgoing President to ensure a smooth transition.
There is an eleven-week difference between the election day and the inauguration.
Why is there an eleven-week-long transition period?
The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 will come into action and help in the smooth transition of power. The law provides office space for the president-elect and encourages cooperation between the outgoing president and the new one.
So, what will the President-elect do in the transition period? Well, the president-elect will prepare for the role along with a transition team composed of policy experts and advisors.
Which are the other responsibilities of the President-elect?
The President-elect will also identify the key people for his cabinet and as heads of multiple agencies. Another key function during the transition period is public engagement and so is national security. The president-elect gets regular briefings from national security agencies to stay updated on important threats and issues.
Engaging with the public and foreign leaders is another crucial function. The president-elect may meet other world leaders to strengthen international relationships and demonstrate continuity in US foreign policy.
The election period is ending. But over the new few weeks, the steps towards government formation and the transition of power will be interesting to observe.
