Published 22:25 IST, November 7th 2020
Joe Biden defeats Donald Trump, to be the 46th President of the United States: AP
After four days of gruelling vote counting, Democratic nominee Joe Biden has been elected as the 46th US President on Saturday, as called by Associated Press
After four days of vote counting, Democratic nominee Joe Biden has been elected as the 46th US President on Saturday, as called by the Associated Press (AP). Projecting Biden winning 284 electoral college votes, AP called the presidential race with Biden projected to win four swing states - Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania - which were all still too close to call. Biden has also won the popular vote, winning 50.6% of the votes - amassing 7,48,47,834 ballots.
Biden elected 46th US President
(Credit: AP)
With Joe Biden's win, his Vice-Presidential pick Kamala Harris has made history as the first Black woman to become Vice President. Moreover, Donald Trump is now the first incumbent US president to lose reelection since George H.W. Bush in 1992. Donald Trump lost the presidential race after he secured only 214 electoral college votes and 47.7% of the votes - 7,05,91,531 ballots. Though the Republic National Convention (RNC) seeks to raise $60 million to aid Trump challenge the election results in six swing states, the Republicans have retained the Senate and the Democrats have retained the House, as per AP's projections.
Joe Biden's Presidential plan
Contrasting Donald Trump, who is gearing up for a major legal battle to continue his White House stint, Biden called for unity and said that citizens should put the anger behind them and tackle the problems that the United States has to deal with especially amid COVID-19 pandemic. Biden addressed the nation late-night on Friday, assuring, "I want everyone to know that on Day One, we are going to put our plan to control this virus into action. That can't save any of the lives that have been lost, but it will save a lot of lives in the months ahead". Biden won his home state of Pennsylvania which made him cross the 270-halfway mark.
US election results counting
After a massive campaign, US witnessed a very close election battle between incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden on November 3. With record mail-in ballots being polled amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the results were inconclusive on November 3, as millions of ballots remained to be counted. Biden broke Barack Obama's record of 2008 elections getting over 70 million votes, as the polls saw the highest voter turnout since 1908. As he inched closer to victory, he maintained 'Every vote must be counted'.
Trump, on the other hand, has filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona demanding better access for campaign observers to locations where ballots are being processed and counted. His campaign has also moved the Supreme Court to halt the counting of ballots received up to three days after the election. Trump, has claimed 'We have already won the election', with Twitter flagging his claims as false. He also held a press conference claiming massive election fraud, which has been debunked by the US Federal election commission.
Updated 23:12 IST, November 7th 2020