Electoral College Certifies Donald Trump as President

Donald Trump has won the Electoral College vote being certified as president, despite a last-ditch effort to deny him the White House.

Six weeks after winning the polls, Donald Trump has secured the 270 votes needed to formalize his victory.

Electors had been flooded with emails, letters and phone calls urging them not to support Donald Trump.

The process is usually a formality, but was beset this year by claims Russian hackers tried to sway the public vote.

Texas ultimately put Donald Trump over the 270 threshold, despite two of its electors voting against him.

Photo AP

According to the New York Times, four Democratic electors also cast their votes for someone other than Hillary Clinton.

The result will be officially announced on January 6 in a special joint session of Congress.

Vice President-elect Mike Pence hailed Donald Trump on Twitter as the results came in: “Congratulations to @realDonaldTrump; officially elected President of the United States today by the Electoral College!”

The movement to block Donald Trump had fought hard to convince Republican electors to abandon their party’s candidate.

Thousands of anti-Trump protesters had gathered at state capitols across the country.

In Pennsylvania, over 200 demonstrators braved sub-zero temperatures, chanting, “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!” and “No treason, no Trump!'”

In Maine, protesters beat drums and waved signs saying, “Don’t let Putin Pick Our President,” – a reference to allegations that Kremlin-backed hackers tried to sway the election in Donald Trump’s favor.