Virginia’s Electors Cast Ballots for President and Vice President

Today, Virginia’s 13 electors gathered in the historic House Chamber at the State Capitol to fulfill their constitutional duty of casting ballots for president and vice president of the United States. The ceremony, a key step in the nation’s electoral process, mirrored similar gatherings across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Virginia’s 13 electoral votes correspond to its 11 congressional districts and two additional at-large electors. Governor Glenn Youngkin opened the proceedings with welcoming remarks, setting the tone for the formal event. Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn of the Virginia Supreme Court swore in the electors before officially casting their ballots.

In separate votes, as the U.S. Constitution requires, all 13 electors cast their ballots for Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Governor Tim Walz for vice president.

The results were recorded on Six Certificates of Vote, signed by each elector. These documents were paired with a Certificate of Ascertainment signed by Governor Youngkin, verifying the state’s election results. The sealed certificates will now be sent to key federal and state officials, including:

• Kamala Harris, in her role as President of the U.S. Senate,
• Susan Beals, Virginia’s Chief Election Official,
• Mark S. Davis, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and
• Dr. Colleen Shogan, Archivist of the United States.

The next step in the process will occur on January 6, 2025, when Vice President Harris will oversee a joint session of Congress. At that time, the electoral votes from all states will be opened, counted, and certified. Once certified, the president-elect and vice president-elect will take the oath of office during the inauguration on January 20, 2025.

Virginia’s Electoral College proceedings reflect the nation’s centuries-old commitment to a peaceful and orderly transfer of power, as outlined in the Constitution.

Want to see how it’s done? Click here to watch.