Donald Trump vs Kamala Harris: A look at important dates in 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.

Updated on: Sep 24, 2024, 01:05:55 IST

ReutersPosted by Shweta Kukreti

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

Trump vs Harris: After November 5 elections in the US, it could take days for the election result to be known, especially if it is close and mail-in ballots are a factor. (AP)

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

- Oct. 1: Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance and Democratic rival Tim Walz will take part in a debate hosted by CBS News.

- 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 the 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 and sentencing was originally due to take place on Sept. 18.

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

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

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- 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, Trump lambasted his vice president, Mike Pence, for refusing to try to prevent Congress from certifying Biden's win. On that day, the U.S. Capitol was attacked by Trump supporters trying to stop the count. Biden's win was certified later that 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 any single lawmaker from each chamber could trigger a challenge.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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