2020 United States presidential election — 59th quadrennial U.S. presidential election
Biden's 2020 victory ended Trump's presidency with record voter turnout and was followed by an unprecedented refusal to accept election results, culminating in the January 6 Capitol attack.
Key Facts
- Biden popular votes
- 81 million+, most ever for a presidential candidate
- Electoral College result
- Biden 306, Trump 232 electoral votes
- Popular vote share
- Biden 51.3%, Trump 46.8%
- Voter turnout
- Highest by percentage since 1900
- Mail-in/early voting
- 38 states had over half of votes cast by these methods
- Result projected
- November 7, 2020, morning
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 2020 election took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused economic disruption and prompted record use of mail-in and early voting. Civil unrest following the police killing of George Floyd, debates over the Affordable Care Act, and the Supreme Court vacancy left by Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death further shaped the political environment heading into the contest.
On November 3, 2020, Democratic nominee Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris defeated incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Biden won 306 Electoral College votes and 51.3% of the popular vote. Harris became the first African American, first Asian American, and third female vice presidential nominee on a major party ticket. Results in several swing states were delayed due to the volume of mail-in ballots.
Trump refused to concede, making disproven claims of fraud, filing unsuccessful lawsuits, and pressuring officials to overturn results. This culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, for which Trump was impeached a second time. Biden was inaugurated on January 20, 2021, and Harris became the first female, first Black, and first Asian American Vice President of the United States.
Political Outcome
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the presidency, with Biden receiving 306 electoral votes and 51.3% of the popular vote, defeating incumbent Donald Trump.
Republican administration under President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence
Democratic administration under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris