Trump received more than the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency in early vote counts Tuesday night, becoming the second president in U.S. history after Grover Cleveland to lose the White House in a consecutive election but do so recaptured four years later. His inauguration is scheduled for 2025, but several trials must take place before that date.

Here are the most important dates in the election cycle:

According to TIME magazine, once election results are counted, states begin certifying their accuracy. Delaware, which has the earliest certification deadline in the country, must complete the process by Thursday.

“When polls are closed, local election officials will release unofficial election results to the public and, whether it is a state or federal election, to their respective states,” according to the United State Election Assistance Commission. “State election offices will aggregate data and report unofficial results for state and federal offices, including president and vice president.

“After every valid vote has been included in the final result and all necessary processes have been completed, the election result is confirmed.”

Kentucky's local certification deadline is Nov. 8 and the state certification deadline is Nov. 25, according to the United State Election Assistance Commission.

November 11: Presidential transition begins

If neither candidate has made a concession five days after the election, both campaigns will announce the scheduling of transition meetings separately.

Prior to passage of the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act in 2022, the General Services Administration would certify the likely election winner before transition discussions begin.

November 26: Conviction in the hush money trial against Trump

Stormy Daniels says Donald Trump greeted her in silk pajamas

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels has testified in his hush money trial about her alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump.

Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in his New York hush money trial in May. He was found guilty of falsifying business records to conceal funds intended to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.

The verdict was originally scheduled to be handed down on September 18, but Trump asked Judge Juan Merchan to delay the verdict after the election, which was later granted.

More: Why the election could determine what happens to Trump's criminal conviction

December 11th: Certificates of determination

The executive branch of each state prepares seven certification certificates and once the votes are certified, one of them is sent to the archivist at the National Archives. According to TIME Magazine, this certificate contains the names of the electors who will cast their votes for their state in the Electoral College.

December 17: Voters vote in each state

“Electors meet in their respective states and vote for president and vice president in separate ballots,” according to the National Archives. “The voters enter their votes on six election certificates, which are paired with the six remaining confirmation certificates.”

“The voter’s vote consists of a certificate of determination and a certificate of voting,” according to the National Archives.

December 25th: Deadline for receipt of votes

According to the National Archives, the President of the Senate and the Archivist must receive the electoral votes on or before the fourth Wednesday in December, which falls on December 25, 2024.

January 3: Congress meets

When the new Congress convenes, the archivist will send certificate sets to Congress if the Senate has not received them, according to the National Archives.

January 6th: Counting of electoral votes

Congress will meet in a joint session chaired by the Vice President to count the Electoral College votes and determine the winner of the presidential election.

January 6, 2021 turned out to be a historic day when the US Capitol was attacked by Trump supporters who tried to stop the counting of votes. Both chambers of Congress later resumed their work and certified the results in favor of President Joe Biden.

Congress has since passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022, which requires the approval of one-fifth of the House and Senate to consider challenging a state's results, a much higher hurdle than before, than any individual lawmaker from each individual state chamber could trigger a challenge.

The inauguration ceremony will take place on Monday, January 20, 2025, at the US Capitol in Washington DC

USA TODAY reporters Michael Collins and David Jackson and Trending News reporter Kinsey Crowley contributed to this article.