NC electors cast votes for Trump and Vance ahead of 2025 inauguration
North Carolina’s Electoral College members met Tuesday at the State Capitol and cast their votes for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
North Carolina isn’t the only state: Electors across the country were meeting in their respective state capitals Tuesday to cast their votes, finalizing necessary formalities before congressional certification next year and the subsequent Jan. 20 inauguration.
Trump and Vance won the election with 312 of the nation’s 538 electoral votes, defeating presidential nominee Kamala Harris and vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, who received 226 votes.
U.S. voters don’t directly elect presidents. Instead when voters cast their ballots, those votes go toward selecting electors in their state who are pledged to their preferred candidates. To win, candidates must secure a majority of 270 electoral votes.
North Carolina uses a winner-takes-all system and has 16 electoral votes, because of its two U.S. senators and 14 U.S. representatives.
Trump received 2,898,423 votes in the state, while Harris received 2,715,374. Since the state was won by Trump and Vance, all of its electoral votes will go to them.
Ceremony details
On Tuesday, a slate of electors chosen at the state Republican Party convention cast their votes for the duo at the old Hall of the House of Representatives in the State Capitol Building in downtown Raleigh.
This follows state law, despite the state’s legislature working from the Legislative Building a few blocks away and the Capitol being used primarily for tours and ceremonies.
The ceremony was convened by North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall. The secretary of state’s office is responsible for arranging the meeting, including the agenda and invitations to guests.
The ceremony kicked off at noon with the North Carolina National Guard presenting the colors of the state, and Carrie Everett, Miss North Carolina 2024, singing the national anthem. The participants and guests in the packed chamber recited the Pledge of Allegiance, led by state 4-H members. The Rev. Larry McDonald with St. Paul AME Church in Raleigh led a prayer.
Before Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby, the electors then took an oath to execute their duties. Elector Daniel Barry was elected the president of the 59th Electoral College in the state and presided over the rest of the ceremony, which included the casting of ballots for Trump and Vance.
Other guests at the ceremony included Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley; the chairman of the state GOP, Jason Simmons (who served as an elector); Supreme Court Justice Tamara Barringer; State Treasurer Dale Folwell; and Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins.
In 2020, the certification occurred Dec. 14, following the Biden-Harris victory and during the turbulent cessation of power marking the transition from the Trump administration. The ceremony was in-person, but due to COVID-19, access was limited to electors, staff, and a few members of the press.
Instead of live performances, people in the room watched on screens in 2020 as Jerenae Raeford of JR Performance Studios sang the national anthem; 4-H leaders led the Pledge of Allegiance remotely, The News & Observer previously reported.
Former North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley swore in the 2020 electors. Each was given a pen and Bible courtesy of the state Supreme Court, The N&O reported.
This story was originally published December 16, 2024 at 4:20 PM with the headline "NC electors cast votes for Trump and Vance ahead of 2025 inauguration."
