Donald Trump surpasses 270 Electoral College to formally win US presidency
Donald Trump has won the Electoral College vote despite protests to ensure that the billionaire will become America's 45th president.
An effort by anti-Trump forces to persuade Republican electors to abandon the president-elect came to practically nothing and the process unfolded largely according to its traditions.
Mr Trump's polarising victory on November 8 and the fact Democrat Hillary Clinton had won the national popular vote had stirred an intense lobbying effort, but to no avail.
Even one of Mr Trump's fiercest Republican rivals, Ohio Governor John Kasich, said it was time to get behind the president-elect.
"We want unity, we want love," Mr Kasich said as Ohio's electors voted to back Mr Trump at a statehouse ceremony. Mr Kasich refused to endorse or even vote for Mr Trump in the election.
With several states still voting, Mr Trump had 304 votes and Mrs Clinton had 169.
It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the presidency.
Texas put Mr Trump over the top, despite two Republican electors casting protest votes.
Befitting an election filled with acrimony, thousands of protesters converged on state capitols across the country today, urging Republican electors to abandon their party's winning candidate.
More than 200 demonstrators braved freezing temperatures at Pennsylvania's capitol, chanting: "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!"
