Tally of Electoral Votes for the 1800 Presidential Election

"Because the Constitution did not distinguish between President and Vice-President in the votes cast by the Electoral College, both Jefferson and his running mate Aaron Burr received 73 votes in the election of 1800. The House of Representatives cast thirty-five ballots over five days to break the tie and finally, on February 17, 1801, on the thirty-sixth ballot, the House elected Thomas Jefferson to be President.."
Electoral votes in 1800 

Counting Electoral Votes: An Overview of Procedures at the Joint Session, Including Objections by Members of Congress

"The Constitution and federal law establish a detailed timetable following the presidential election during which time the members of the electoral college convene in the 50 state capitals and in the District of Columbia, cast their votes for President and Vice President, and submit their votes through state officials to both houses of Congress. The electoral votes are scheduled to be opened before a joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021. Federal law specifies the procedures for this session and for challenges to the validity of an electoral vote. This report describes the steps in the process and precedents set in prior presidential elections governing the actions of the House and Senate in certifying the electoral vote and in responding to challenges of the validity of electoral votes.
 

This report has been revised and will be updated on a periodic basis to provide the dates for the relevant joint session of Congress and to reflect any new, relevant precedents or practices..."
Electoral College 

The Electoral College: A 2020 Presidential Election Timeline

"Introduction
 During the course of a presidential election year, the election process for the President and Vice President goes forward within a familiar timeline of events. At the same time these events are taking place, a related series of procedures that governs the actions of the electoral college progresses on a parallel track. This report focuses on the electoral college timeline for the 2020 presidential election. For additional information on the electoral college in today’s presidential election process, see CRS Report RL32611, The Electoral College: How It Works in Contemporary Presidential Elections, by Thomas H. Neale. 

Presidential Elections: The Nomination and Election Campaign Timeline

In a presidential election year, campaigns for the nation’s highest offices include a number of sequential processes and events that take place over a period that may begin years before election day. Broadly defined, these include the informal campaign of candidate declarations, fundraising, organizing, and intraparty debates (various start times through February of the election year); the formal nomination campaign, in which candidates contest nominating caucuses and primaries (February-July); the national party conventions, where the presidential and vice presidential candidates are nominated (July-August); the general election campaign (August-November), including presidential and vice presidential debates (SeptemberOctober); and general election day, November 3, 2020.

The Electoral College Timeline: May 2020-January 6, 2021

During the election campaign, a series of events related to the electoral college’s operations proceeds on a parallel timeline, which overlaps both the nomination and general election timelines. It includes nomination of candidates for the office of elector; choice of the electors by the voters on general election day; ascertainment of the results in the states; meetings and votes by electors in their respective states; and reporting the results as directed by law. It culminates with the joint session of Congress at which the electoral votes are counted and the President and Vice President are declared to be elected. The electoral college timeline is governed by the U.S. Code at 3 U.S.C. §§1-18, the Twelfth and Twentieth Amendments to the Constitution, and state laws and political party rules..."
Electoral College 

The Electoral College Has Been Divisive Since Day One

"The Electoral College polarized Americans from its inception. Created by the framers of the Constitution during the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, the College was put forth as a way to give citizens the opportunity to vote in presidential elections, with the added safeguard of a group of knowledgeable electors with final say on who would ultimately lead the country, another limit on the burgeoning nation’s democratic ideals.

The story of the Electoral College is also one of slavery—an institution central to the founding of American democracy. The bulk of the new nation’s citizenry resided in cities like Philadelphia and Boston in the North, leaving the South sparsely populated by farmers, plantation owners, other landholders, and, of course, enslaved laborers. This disparity in the population distribution became a core element of the legislative branch, and in turn, the Electoral College..."
Electoral College

What Happens Next in the Election Process

"Here’s a look at what happens between now and the inauguration:

Between now and December 17:

The governors of all of the states must certify the election results, and provide copies of the Certificates of Ascertainment to the Archivist of the United States and your state’s electors.

December 17:

Electors meet in their state and cast their ballots for the President and Vice President. A copy of these votes is sent to the Vice President for the official count in Congress. The votes must be received by December 26.

January 6:

Congress meets in a joint session to officially count the electoral votes. As President of the Senate, the Vice President oversees the process and announces the final results.

January 20:

January 20 is the official day of the inauguration, however, this year because it falls on a Sunday, the public swearing in ceremony will be held on Monday, January 21, 2013..."

What Happens Next in the Election Process