Trump victory sealed

The U.S. Congress will formally endorse result in a special session on January 6.

Normally, the Electoral College vote is a formality but this year it took on extra prominence after a group of Democratic activists tried to persuade the Republicans to vote for Hillary Clinton.

Clinton won the nationwide popular vote, securing almost 3 million more votes, while Trump won the majority of electors votes - 306.

There are 538 electors, from fifty states and Washington, D.C. Presidential electors are selected on a state-by-state basis. A candidate needs to take at least 270 electoral to win the election.

Under the U.S. law, electors must formally vote for the president and vice-president before they start to rule the country.

Donald Trump will take the office on January 20, 2017.