Important dates in the 2024 US presidential race

Republican former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, will face each other in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election.  

Here is a timeline of events related to the election between now and Inauguration Day in January.

- Nov. 5: Election Day

- Later in November: It could take days for the election result to be known, especially if it is close and mail-in ballots are a factor.

- Nov. 26: Trump, the first sitting or former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, is due to be sentenced in a Manhattan hush money case where he was found guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star. Trump has denied wrongdoing. Sentencing was originally due to take place on Sept. 18. 

- Dec. 17: Electors, who together form the Electoral College, meet in their respective states and the District of Columbia to select the president and vice president.

- Dec. 25: The electoral votes must be received by this date by the president of the Senate - a role held by the vice president, currently Harris - and the archivist. 

2025

- Jan. 6: The vice president presides over the Electoral College vote count at a joint session of Congress, announces the results and declares who has been elected. 

Ahead of the count on Jan. 6, 2021, then-President Trump lambasted his vice president, Mike Pence, for refusing to try to prevent Congress from certifying President Joe Biden's victory over Trump. On that day, the U.S. Capitol was attacked by Trump supporters trying to stop the count. Biden's win was certified early the next day. 

Congress has since passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022, which requires approval of one-fifth of the House and Senate to consider a challenge to a state's results – a much higher bar than existed before, when at least one member each in the Senate and House of Representatives could together trigger a challenge.

- Jan. 20: The inauguration of the election winner and their vice president takes place. At this ceremony, the victor and the vice president are officially sworn into office.