# Will the formal electoral vote count on January 6 be televised/streamed? 6 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 9, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680 "2020-12-09T20:59:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/1 "2020-12-09T20:59:07Z")
I would take a day off to watch that. Normally humdrum, but it may get interesting this year. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/2 "2020-12-09T21:38:29Z")
Here’s an interesting article from 2004, on whether Tom Jefferson fudged a bit when he counted the votes in 1800 and determined that he and Burr had defeated the Adams/Pinckney pairing. > **[How Jefferson Counted Himself In](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/03/how-jefferson-counted-himself-in/302888/)** > > Something was funny about the Georgia ballot during the 1800 election. Did Thomas Jefferson act properly in making himself President in 1801? A historical detective story ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/3 "2020-12-10T16:16:45Z")
[Here](https://www.c-span.org/video/?421237-1/joint-session-congress-certifies-donald-trump-us-president) is the video of the 2017 vote count from C-SPAN. I have no idea if it was televised live at that time, but it certainly might improve their ratings if they choose (or are allowed) to do so next month. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/4 "2020-12-10T16:33:04Z")
It’s certain to be broadcast live on C-SPAN. The networks may well broadcast all or part live as well. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/5 "2020-12-11T06:21:50Z")
I’d be surprised if someone doesn’t televise/stream the EC voting in the various battleground states. And if the Republicans stage counter-EC voting in those states, that too. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/6 "2020-12-11T07:26:33Z")
C-SPAN prioritizes sittings in the House and Senate chambers over all other content, sometimes absurdly (like by cutting away from a high-profile committee hearing for 20 seconds to show someone banging the gavel twice for a pro forma session), so it will definitely be shown live on C-SPAN1. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2020, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/7 "2020-12-11T16:56:08Z")
Both Houses of Congress (homepages [house.gov](http://house.gov) and [senate.gov](http://senate.gov)) stream their public sessions. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2021, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/8 "2021-01-01T17:46:27Z")
Thanks for this. Just chjecked today and C-Span is available. May take Wednesday off to watch, flipping between C-Span and CNN. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2021, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/9 "2021-01-01T17:58:32Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > I’d be surprised if someone doesn’t televise/stream the EC voting in the various battleground states. And if the Republicans stage counter-EC voting in those states, that too. To clarify, the voting is done. Nothing will be happening in the states. This is a formality to certify the votes that have already been cast, to say formally, “Yep, Pennsylvania sure enough really did cast 20 votes for Biden.” Hawley’s challenge will make it a circus. This would be a complete non-event in any other election. Well, it might have been of some interest in 2000 since Gore had to certify the votes of his defeat, after losing on a Supreme Court decision over a few hundred votes. ETA: I see that @dtilque’s post was _before_ the actual EC vote, so my apologies for over-explaining. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/10 "2021-01-06T14:28:30Z")
Looks like c-span live stream is available on youtube Here is a link to the EC count 1 PM EST [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KzWS7gJX5Z8/maxresdefault.jpg "Joint Session of Congress for Counting of Electoral College Ballots") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzWS7gJX5Z8) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2021, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-formal-electoral-vote-count-on-january-6-be-televised-streamed-6/927680/11 "2021-01-06T19:58:00Z")
This is being interrupted by protesting, raging Trump supporters. Trump himself is telling them to stock fighting the police. Vice President Pence and the entire House floor had to be evacuated.