The Electoral Votes Are in and the 2024 Presidential Election Has Been Called
Some Donald Trump and Kamala Harris supporters thought the numbers would be closer.
Published Nov. 6 2024, 7:39 a.m. ET
Ahead of the 2024 election day and voting results, Americans knew the race would be close between candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. With a nation divided, all attention fell to the swing states. So, who won the presidential election in 2024?
Although experts said that all of the votes from all 50 states would not be counted until days after the election, in the early hours of Nov. 6, 2024, the day after polls opened and closed, one candidate had enough electoral votes to be declared the winner. And just like that, the country picked a new president.
Who won the presidential election?
The winning candidate needed 270 electoral votes to be declared the winner, even before the actual votes from the people came in and were counted. As of the morning of Nov. 6, Trump had 277 electoral votes, with Harris bringing in 224. This means that Trump won the 2024 presidential election based on electoral votes.
At 2:30 a.m. EST in Florida on Nov. 6, Trump got on stage to declare victory in an acceptance speech. In his speech, he promised unity in the United States and promised to fight for the American people with "every breath" in his body.
"It's time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us," Trump said. "Success will bring us together."
When does Kamala Harris have to concede?
The losing candidate in a presidential election doesn't have to give a concession speech, but it is customary for them to do so at some point closely following the election. And for some, it's a way for the candidate to address their supporters and commend them for a job well done, despite defeat.
Although at the time of Trump’s speech, all of the votes from the American people had not technically been counted, his electoral votes made him the winner of the election. But as of the morning of Nov. 6, Harris hadn't yet made her concession speech, which is typical for the opposing candidate in an election.
According to NBC Washington, Harris is expected to speak at Howard University, her Alma mater, on Nov. 6. While that hasn't been confirmed as an official concession speech, it’s what people expect at this point.