US Congress could still stop Donald Trump from becoming President – but probably won't

All that Trump's opposition is likely to be able to do is slow down the process

The presidential election isn't over yet.

A joint session of Congress could still opt to challenge the result and stop Donald Trump from becoming President. But it almost certainly won't.

As the last part of the US election, Congress must count the votes of the electoral college. Those votes were cast by the 538 electors last month – and gave Donald Trump a clear majority – but the process won't be finished until they are verified by legislators.

That process will be overseen by Vice President Joe Biden in his role as president of the Senate. And unless something very strange happens, it will be the last stage before President Donald Trump is sworn in at his inauguration 20 January.

Friday's vote count marks the last chance for Democrats and other anti-Trump forces to disrupt Trump's election. But even if they are successful, the most Democrats could do is slow the process. They don't have the votes to overturn the outcome.

Under federal law, if at least one senator and one House member object to the vote from any state, the House and Senate would meet separately to decide the merits of the objection.

Several House Democrats have talked about filing an objection, but no senator has publicly backed the idea. Regardless, with Republicans controlling both chambers, any objection would have little chance of affecting the outcome.

One House representative, Ed Perlmutter from Colorado, considered objecting but said, "This is not about trying to stop Donald Trump from becoming president."

Perlmutter said he wants to register his objection to Russia after U.S. intelligence community findings that Moscow engaged in computer hacking to sway the election in favor of Trump. America's top intelligence official told Congress on Thursday that Russia undoubtedly interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

"We cannot allow a foreign nation to ever influence our elections because it harms our liberty, freedom and independence," Perlmutter said in a statement. "This is bigger than just one election, and for the sake of our democracy, we must remain vigilant."

All 538 electors met in their respective state capitals in December to cast their votes. Trump finished with 304 votes and Democrat Hillary Clinton with 227, according to a tally by The Associated Press. It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the presidency.

Trump won even though Clinton received nearly 2.9 million more votes. His election has generated much angst among Democrats and others who oppose the billionaire businessman. But they have been powerless to change the outcome.

Despite rumblings of a revolt, only two Republican electors — both from Texas — cast protest votes for someone other than Trump. Clinton lost four Democratic electors in Washington state and one in Hawaii.

The secretary of state's office in Washington said the four "faithless" electors would be fined $1,000 apiece.

Additional reporting by Press Association