By EMILY PRINSTEIN

After a little over a month since the election took place, California has officially certified its votes securing the election, for now, President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris. The certification of California’s fifty-five electoral votes puts President-elect Biden nine votes above the two hundred and seventy vote threshold needed to win the election. 

The 2020 election has been much different than prior elections in terms of formalities. Even though many have viewed the election to be over and have already seen Biden as President-Elect, the certification of California’s votes makes this clear legally.  According to a law professor at Ohio State University, Edward Foley, “Everything prior to that was premised on what we call projections.” 

In the coming weeks, the pledged electoral voters and electoral voters from other states will be meeting to vote on Dec. 14. According to the Associated Press, “ All states must certify before the Electoral College meets.” These votes will then be sent to Congress where they will be approved most likely on Jan. 6.

 Electoral voters from most states such as California take a pledge to vote for the nominee that receives the most votes in their said state, meaning that Joe Biden will get a majority of these votes. After this President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris will then take office on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20. 

Image of Joe Biden from commons.wikimedia.org