Illinois to certify 19 electoral votes for Kamala Harris in 2024 presidential election
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois will officially certify its 19 Electoral College votes on Tuesday, as electors will meet in Springfield to cast their vote in the presidential election.
At a ceremony at the Illinois State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias will oversee the operation as the state's presidential electors will officially cast their votes for president and vice president. Similar ceremonies are being held in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., one of the final steps to officially certify the winner of the race for the White House.
Illinois' presidential electors are chosen by the political party whose presidential nominee wins the state's popular vote. Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, won Illinois' popular vote in November, and will get all 19 of the state's electoral votes.
However, former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, won the popular vote in 31 states, giving him 312 electoral votes to win the election.
Giannoulias vowed to make sure the process of officially casting Illinois' 19 electoral votes will remain safe, noting the rise in threats against election workers since 2020, amid Trump's repeated baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
"We've received numerous threats. We've seen what's happened around the country. I wish it weren't the case. I wish we didn't even have to have metal detectors or security screenings at the Capitol and the Capitol complex, but we live in a world where that's required," he said.
After the votes are cast, the electors will sign documents that will be part of the counting and certifying process in Washington in January.
