Former President Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th president of the United States, according to the Associated Press.
At time of publication, voting projections show Trump winning the popular vote as well, currently securing over 71 million votes to Harris’ 66 million votes.
Although five states’ votes remain uncalled (Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Michigan, Nevada), Trump secured the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in key battleground states including Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
How Did Georgia Vote?
The Associated Press called Georgia for Trump around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning with 50.8% of the vote. Over five million votes were cast throughout the state. Just four years ago, Trump lost Georgia by less than 12 thousand votes, helping President Joe Biden secure his victory.
How Did Bulloch/Chatham County Vote?
At time of publication, Bulloch County is reporting 99% of votes counted with Trump leading t. Over 20,000 votes were casted for Trump and over 11,000 were cast for Harris.
Chatham County is reporting 89% of votes counted at time of publication.Harris leads with over 79,000 votes compared to over 55,000 votes cast for Trump.
What Happens Next?
A process of transitional steps will soon begin as Trump prepares to return to the White House.
The Electoral College and Congress will begin a process that ensures all ballots are accurately counted and officials properly determine who won electoral college votes. The president and vice president are selected by the state’s Electoral College electors. The number of electors are based on population and each state gets as many electors as it has members of Congress (House and Senate). For Georgia – the Electoral College is made up of 16 electors, including two senators and 14 House Representatives.
State certification of results (or canvassing) is the first step of a president’s transition into office. Canvassing is a verification process when county officials must certify that the voting tallies are a complete and accurate record as reported by the precincts. States have varying deadlines for this process, but Georgia state officials must certify its results by Nov. 25., according to TIME Magazine.
After states certify their voting tallies, officials must notify Congress by Dec. 11 of the individuals who will be the electors expected to cast the state’s votes in the electoral college later that month, a process known as certificates of ascertainment. Electors will then meet in their respective states on Dec. 17 to cast their votes for president and vice president. These votes should arrive in Washington, D.C. by Dec. 25., and then will be counted in a joint session by Congress on Jan. 6.
The elected president and vice president will take the Oath of Office and become the President of the United States and Vice President of the United States on Jan. 20, 2025.
Other Important Results
Georgia’s 2024 General Election ballot covered U.S. House of Representatives, Public Service Commissioner, Georgia State House of Representatives, Georgia State Senate, Georgia State Supreme Court, judges, school boards and municipal government offices.
Georgia State House of Representatives Rick Allen and Buddy Carter, representing District 12 and District 1 (which include areas of Bulloch and Chatham County) secured re-election in the late night on Tuesday.
Incumbent candidate Rick Allen (R) won his seat in Georgia’s District 12 of the U.S House of Representatives. This district includes major cities, including Statesboro, Augusta, Vidalia, and Dublin. Allen has repeatedly co-sponsored amendments that attack the rights of those in the LGBTQ+ community, including the Federal Marriage Amendment. He has also voted against bills that would protect same sex marriage. He also was one of many republicans that supported Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit that challenged the 2020 election results.
Incumbent candidate Buddy Carter (R) also won his seat in Georgia’s District 1 of the U.S House of Representatives. This district includes Savannah, Brunswick, Jesup, Waycross. Carter voted against the certification of the 2020 election, and also is against the legalization of marijuana, even in a medical setting for veterans. He also supports the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, more colloquially known as “Obamacare”.
Local election results for Bulloch and Chatham County are still being tallied, we will continue to update with local election results tomorrow.
