Biden Confirmed New President by Electoral College

Biden crossed 270-vote threshold with California’s electoral votes, effectively ending Trump’s long-shot attempt to overturn results

Joe Biden was officially elected as the next president of the United States by the U.S. electoral college today, all but ending Donald Trump’s unusual bid to defy the will of the majory of American voters and overturn the results of the presidential election.

California’s 55 electoral votes enabled Biden to cross the 270-vote threshold necessart to win the election, a threshold that places him one procedural step nearer to sitting at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office on January 20th in spite of Trump’s obstinate denial of his defeat and concession of the race.

Joe Biden addressed the electoral college vote count in a televised speech to the nation, topping-off a day that historically has faded into the woodwork as a mere pro-forma, procedural step.

“In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed,” transcripts of Biden’s speech related. “We the people voted. Faith in our institutions held. The integrity of our elections remains intact. And so, now it is time to turn the page. To unite. To heal.”

“Together, vice-president-elect Harris and I earned 306 electoral votes,” Biden stated, highlighting that he won by the same margin Donald Trump had when elected in 2016.

Trump had characterized that result as a “landslide”, Biden pointed out.

“Nothing, not even a pandemic, or an abuse of power can extinguish that flame” of American democracy, Biden further said, emphasizing the contributions of election officials in executing their duty in the midst of the pandemic, and even despite violent threats and verbal abuse from critics and Trump’s followers. “We owe these public servants a debt of gratitude,” Biden said. “Our democracy survives because of them.”

Historically little more than a boring formality, the electoral college meeting took on much more emphasis this year because of Trump’s continued barrage of efforts to question the vote and attempt to overturn it via the courts in multiple battleground states. In spite of an exceptionally unsuccessful legal battle to challenge the results in both state and federal courts, Trump has continued to claim that the presidential election vote was incorrect due to irregularities and fraudulent cheating. While very isolated instances of mistakes or irregularities occured, there is thus far no evidence of widespread fraud, and no evidence of sufficiently-large voting irregularities that would flip the results.

Electoral college delegates from all 50 states and the District of Columbia cast their ballots, awarding Biden 306 votes — comprising a comfortable margin above the 270 needed to establish a win.

Biden gave his speech shortly thereafter.

In his speech, Biden endeavored to put the election solidly to rest by looking ahead to his new administration, and to the multiple challenges facing the United States.

“As I said through this campaign, I will be a president for all Americans. I will work just as hard for those of you who didn’t vote for me, as I will for those who did,” Biden said.

“There is urgent work in front of all of us. Getting the pandemic under control to getting the nation vaccinated against this virus. Delivering immediate economic help so badly needed by so many Americans who are hurting today – and then building our economy back better than ever.”

Election results from November show Biden and his Vice-Presidential running mate, Kamala Harris, won 306 electoral college votes, exceeding the 270 needed to win, after four tumultuous years under Trump.

Under a convoluted system dating back to the 1780s, a presidential candidate is made US president not by winning a majority of the popular vote but through the electoral college’s vote, which allots votes to the 50 states and the District of Columbia primarily based on population.

Electoral college votes are cast by paper ballots in state capitols and Washington DC by each individual elector, who are typically elected officials, prominent politicians or party officials.

While there are sometimes “rogue” electors who vote for someone other than the winner of their state’s popular vote, the vast majority rubber-stamp the results. A number of states now punish rogue electors with substantial fines, further ensuring that rogue voting will be minimized. In practice, electors are often members of the party for the candidate elected, which means there is little incentive to go rogue.

When the electors finish voting, their paper ballots are then sent on to Washington, where they will be counted up at a joint session of Congress on the sixth of January. Presiding over the session is the vice-president, Mike Pence, who will formally announce the result. Four years ago, Biden, then the vice-president, announced Trump’s victory.

The president and his allies pressured lawmakers in battleground states where Biden won to appoint an alternate slate of electors who would cast their votes for Trump. No states agreed to the strategy and the proceedings progress without interruption or delay.

“While there will be those who are upset their candidate didn’t win, it is patently un-American and unacceptable that today’s event should be anything less than an honored tradition held with pride and in celebration,” the Arizona Secretary of State, Katie Hobbs, said.

Trump said late last month he would leave the White House if the electoral college elected Biden, but has since pushed on with his unprecedented campaign to overturn his defeat, filing numerous lawsuits challenging state vote counts.

With a few U.S. military leaders previously stating that it was against their duty to become involved in the election process, it seems clear that Trump will not have the option of retaining the presidency through a coup. It remains to be seen if Trump will willingly leave the White House when the time comes, and his administration has been criticized for not cooperating with Biden’s incoming team.