It is the day that Trump praises us that we should worry and ask what we have done to capitulate.

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Some days are momentous for what occurs on them. Others, for what they represent. Our democracy relies on both.

Federal Election Day is set by law as the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November in even numbered years. Each state sets its own dates for elections to be certified. In presidential elections, there are even more specific dates. For example, this year, Dec. 11 is the date by which each state’s governor must sign the official certificate of ascertainment.

The most recent, and most critical of those dates, was last Tuesday, Dec. 17. On that one day, presidential electors met in their states to officially select the next president and vice-president of the United States. Before those meetings, Donald Trump was the presumptive president-elect. After that day, it can be said with legal certainty that he will be sworn as the 47th president at noon on Jan. 20, 2025.

The rest of it is really all paperwork. By Dec. 25, the electoral votes must be received by the Senate and national archives. On Jan. 3, the new Congress will be sworn in. On Jan. 6, that new Congress will perform the ministerial task of counting the electoral votes.

This is the pageantry of American democracy. A series of meetings and forms to count and certify the results we already know. In most years it is unremarkable. In 2020, it wasn't. That is because four years ago, the losing candidate attacked the pageantry of democracy. First in the media, then in court and finally by instigating a violent insurrection.

As legacy media increasingly normalizes Trump and his movement, Democracy Docket will always stand by its mission to hold those in power accountable and expose the ongoing threats to our democracy. We are beholden only to our readers and members, so consider joining thousands in supporting our pro-democracy news outlet by ([link removed]) becoming a premium member ([link removed]) today. ([link removed])

During his presidency, President Joe Biden liked to say: “You can't love your country only when you win.” Donald Trump proved otherwise.

While it may feel like the 2024 election was normal, that is only because Trump won. There were no false claims of fraud, because he won. No election officials were vilified and threatened, because he won. The courts remained free of legal challenges, because he won. On Jan. 6, 2025, there will be no violent insurrection, and Congress will certify the count not because of a new law, but only because Trump won.

Before the election, there was near universal agreement among election officials, democracy advocates and the media that Trump would repeat his attacks on the electoral system in 2024 if he lost. Many predicted that it would be worse than it was in 2020. We will never know how bad it would have been, only because he won.

You might wonder why I am so focused on this now. Trump won’t be on the ballot again and the next federal elections aren’t for another two years.

Here is why…

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