<P> At the conclusion of their meetings, the electors of each state and of the District of Columbia then execute a "certificate of vote" (in several original copies), declaring the vote count in each meeting . To each certificate of vote, a certificate of ascertainment is annexed . Each state's (and the District of Columbia's) certificate of ascertainment is the official document (usually signed by the governor of the state and / or by the state's secretary of state) that declares the names of the electors, certifying their appointment as members of the Electoral College . Given that in all states the electors are currently chosen by popular election, the certificate of ascertainment also declares the results of the popular vote that decided the appointment of the electors . The electors in each state and of the District of Columbia then send the certificates of vote, with the enclosed certificates of ascertainment, to the President of the U.S. Senate . </P> <P> The electoral votes are counted in a joint session of Congress in early January (on January 6 as required by 3 U.S. Code, Chapter 1 or an alternative date set by statute) and if the ballots are accepted without objections, the candidate winning at least 270 electoral votes (a majority of the total number of votes) is announced as having been elected President of the United States by the incumbent Vice President, in their capacity as President of the Senate . </P> <P> No constitutional provision or federal law requires electors to vote according to the results of their state's popular vote, though some states bind their electors to their pledges by state law . Historically, there have been only a few instances of "faithless electors" casting their ballots for a candidate to whom they were not pledged, and such instances have never resulted in changing the final outcome of a presidential election . The popular vote does not declare the presidency but the Electoral College vote does . Even if the popular vote goes to one candidate, another may win the electoral vote and the presidency, as has happened in 1876, 1888, 2000 and 2016 . </P> <P> Two congressional reports found that the president - elect is the eventual winner of the majority of electoral ballots cast in December . The Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress, in its 2004 report "Presidential and Vice Presidential Succession: Overview and Current Legislation," discussed the question of when candidates who have received a majority of electoral votes become president - elect . The report notes that the constitutional status of the president - elect is disputed: </P>

Who elect the president of the united states