Why Jan. 6 Is Key Date for Trump’s Election Gripes

The voters have spoken. So have the electors who, under America’s unique system, have the official job of choosing the next president. The U.S. Congress still has a role to play, one that’s usually mostly ceremonial, but this time around could mark one last attempt by loyalists to President Donald Trump to overturn the election of President-elect Joe Biden.

On Wednesday, the Senate and House meet jointly to open and count certificates of electoral votes from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, in alphabetical order. Any member may object to the results from any individual state. The process is spelled out in great detail in the U.S. legal code, right down to the Jan. 6 date and the hour (1 p.m.) at which the joint session begins. The candidate who reaches 270 electoral votes is the winner. Vice President Mike Pence, whose duties include being the president of the Senate, will lead the session.