President-elect Donald Trump officially won the Electoral College on December 19, 2024, with electors across the country confirming his November 5 victory. While Democratic Senators introduced an amendment to abolish the Electoral College, the certification of Trump's victory by Congress on January 6 is expected to be a routine procedure.
The New York Post reported that Trump clinched the required 270 electoral votes on December 19, as electors in state capitals affirmed his win, despite efforts from Democratic lawmakers to challenge the system.
As electors voted, Democratic Senators Brian Schatz, Dick Durbin, and Peter Welch introduced a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at abolishing the Electoral College. The senators argued that the Electoral College disproportionately benefits smaller, conservative states with fewer voters and that the system is outdated.
While the amendment was presented as a challenge to the Electoral College, it has little chance of passing due to the difficulty of amending the Constitution, which requires approval by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures.
The amendment proposal is unlikely to alter the outcome of the 2024 election. Trump won the popular vote by a significant margin, which means the push to eliminate the Electoral College would not have changed the result of this year’s election.
By the afternoon of December 19, it was clear that Trump's win in the Electoral College would not face significant challenges. Vice President Kamala Harris, who had her own Democratic electors, remained in the process but did not interfere with the certification of the electors in other states. Not a single elector from either party had rejected their responsibility or acted in a manner that would have jeopardized the outcome.
The next step in the process will occur on January 6, 2025, when Congress will meet to formally certify the electoral results. This step, though constitutionally important, is expected to be a formality.
The passage of the Electoral Count Reform Act in 2022 has made it much harder for members of Congress to successfully challenge electors, reducing the possibility of a repeat of the chaotic certification process seen in 2021. The new law increases the threshold for lodging objections, requiring one-fifth of each chamber to raise an objection, and limits the vice president's role in disputing electors.
The 2020 presidential election remains a key point of reference for many, especially given the controversies surrounding the Electoral College process. Trump had previously encouraged lawmakers to challenge the certification of his loss, citing irregularities in the expansion of mail-in voting and changes to voter registration deadlines.
In the wake of those challenges, former Vice President Mike Pence was urged by Trump to unilaterally reject certain electors during the certification process. Pence, however, did not act on that request, and the certification proceeded as expected.
This year, however, Trump’s victory in the Electoral College has faced little resistance, despite the protests from some lawmakers. Senator Schatz, one of the sponsors of the proposed amendment, said in a statement on December 18, "No one’s vote should count for more based on where they live.
The Electoral College is outdated and it’s undemocratic. It’s time to end it." Schatz’s comments echoed long-standing concerns among critics of the Electoral College, who argue that the system can lead to disparities between the popular vote and the Electoral College outcome.
Despite the introduction of the amendment, the push to abolish the Electoral College is not expected to gain significant momentum.
As with previous attempts, the amendment faces an uphill battle due to the stringent requirements for constitutional change. A two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, along with the approval of three-fourths of state legislatures, is needed to overturn the system.
Trump’s defenders have argued that the Electoral College helps ensure that candidates engage with voters in every corner of the nation. In this context, they point out that Republicans would likely shift their focus to urban areas if the Electoral College were eliminated.
Trump himself has suggested that in such a system, Republicans might perform better in the popular vote, as they would no longer focus solely on winning in a few key swing states but could aim for broad, nationwide support.
While the proposed amendment faces an uphill battle, it highlights ongoing debates over the fairness and future of the Electoral College system. Trump’s victory, meanwhile, remains secure for now, with Congress expected to formally certify it in the coming weeks without any major disruptions.
