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Can presidential candidates win the election if they have already conceded? (2024)
Presidential candidates concede when they give a statement to the effect that they have lost the election. A concession does not determine the outcome of the election. Candidates can still win the election even if they initially conceded.[1][2]
Presidential election results remain partial and unofficial on election night. The popular vote is finalized in a process called the canvassing and certification of the vote.
During the canvassing process, elections officials verify that votes were counted correctly. Officials reconcile absentee/mail-in ballots and military and overseas ballots, process provisional and challenged ballots, and review rejected ballots. After the canvass, officials publish a report, which often includes the official returns; informational statistics such as the number of each type of ballot cast, the number of absentee/mail-in ballots sent out, and the number of ballots rejected; and a narrative portion describing any issues, audits, or remedies. Depending on the state, official certification of the election may occur at the finalization of the canvass, or at a separate certification meeting.[3] State laws set different deadlines for when each state must complete the certification of election results. In 2024, these deadlines ranged from mid-November to mid-December.
The certified election results, rather than unofficial results available on election night, determine which electors represent each state in the Electoral College. In 2024, the Electoral College voted on December 17. Congress convened on January 6, 2025, to count the electoral votes and formally declare the winner. At that point, members of Congress had the opportunity to present objections to the Electoral College vote.[4] For more information on the steps involved in electing the president, click here.
Concessions are also retractable. On November 8, 2000, Al Gore (D) conceded to George W. Bush (R) in a phone conversation. However, as it became clearer that election results in Florida could trigger an automatic recount there, Gore retracted his concession in a second phone call to Bush.[5] After the Supreme Court ruling in Bush v. Gore, Gore conceded again on December 13, 2000, this time in a speech to supporters.[6]
See also
- What are the steps and deadlines for electing the President of the United States?
- What happens if a presidential nominee becomes incapacitated before the election?
- What happens if the winning presidential candidate becomes incapacitated before taking office?
- What happens if a presidential candidate declares victory in the 2024 election before results are final?
- Can a redo be held for a presidential election?
Footnotes
- ↑ NPR, "Does A Concession Mean It's Over?," September 2, 2010
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Trump is wrong. Concession speeches aren’t binding at all." November 9, 2018
- ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Management Guidelines Second Edition 2023," accessed September 8, 2024 (pages 127-132)
- ↑ National Archives,"Electoral College Timeline of Events," accessed August 28, 2024
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Gore Retracts Concession Call," November 8, 2000
- ↑ The New York Times, "Gore Concedes in Speech Before Nation," December 13, 2000
