From left, Vice President Kamala Harris and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson preside over a joint session of Congress Monday to certify the results of the 2024 presidential election inside the House chamber at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

WASHINGTON — On a day replete with political symbolism for both parties, Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday officially acknowledged President-elect Donald Trump as the winner of the 2024 election, certifying the electoral college votes.

While the certification of votes served as a ceremonial completion to the turbulent 2024 election, the day also marked a momentous anniversary of the storm at the Capitol four years ago, when Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the count.

Those events were not far from lawmakers’ minds, as many released statements ahead of time commemorating the day. But the president-elect was ready to cast a more jubilant tone on his Truth Social page early Monday, calling it “A BIG MOMENT IN HISTORY. MAGA!”

Harris stood at the dais, crossing her hands or passing along manila envelopes with the electoral college vote certificates, as the drone of each state’s official vote count was read — including those from states who voted for her. The senators submitted each count to her with the honorific “Madam President,” as Harris served in her capacity as president of the Senate.

After 30 minutes, Harris concluded the tally: “Donald J. Trump from the state of Florida has received 312 votes,” she said, as the House erupted into applause. She smiled widely and, after a moment, hammered her gavel to call the chamber to order. Then, she announced her own results: “Kamala D. Harris from the state of California has received 226 votes.”

Again, the chamber burst into cheers as her Democratic colleagues gave Harris a standing ovation. Once again, the vice president smiled and, after a moment, hammered the gavel for order.

Harris joins a small club of vice presidents who lost their bids for president and were required to certify the results — among them Al Gore and Richard Nixon.

“The peaceful transfer of power is one of the most fundamental principles of American democracy,” Harris said. “As we have seen, our democracy can be fragile. And it is up to, then, each one of us to stand up for our most cherished principles, and to make sure that in America, our government always remains of the people, by the people and for the people.”

What was once a perfunctory duty of Congress — certifying the electoral college votes from all states — became an international debacle in 2021, when people upset about Trump’s reelection defeat in 2020 forced their way into the Capitol to disrupt the process.

Unfolding on live television, the storm immediately drew bipartisan condemnation. House leaders convened a committee to investigate the Jan. 6 rioters, and law enforcement from across the country cracked down, leading to hundreds of convictions. But dueling political narratives quickly took hold.

By the time of the 2024 election, Trump had characterized Jan. 6, 2021, as “a day of love” and promised to pardon many of the rioters. Family members and supporters of those arrested after Jan. 6 frequently attended Trump’s campaign events.

Democrats used the Jan. 6 attacks as evidence of a fragile democracy at risk of toppling under a second Trump administration.

Several deep layers of security surrounded the Capitol buildings Monday morning, but the campus was mostly quiet as a snowstorm blanketed Washington, D.C., in white. Police presence was ramped up throughout the capital city.