US Congressional count of ballots formally cast by the electoral college on December 14, 2020
The January 6, 2021 joint session certified Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election victory amid a Capitol riot and failed Republican objections.
Key Facts
- Date of session
- January 6–7, 2021
- Congressional session
- 117th United States Congress
- Senate objections to Arizona
- Supported by 6 Republican senators
- Senate objections to Pennsylvania
- Supported by 7 Republican senators
- States with House-only objections
- Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin
- Presiding vice president
- Mike Pence
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election, President Donald Trump and allies sought to overturn the results, pressuring Vice President Pence to alter the count and organizing Republican legislators to formally object to electoral votes from several swing states.
A joint session of the 117th Congress convened on January 6, 2021, to count Electoral College ballots. Objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania were debated and defeated in both chambers. A Capitol riot by Trump supporters temporarily halted the proceedings before the count resumed and concluded on January 7.
Both formal objections were defeated, and Biden's electoral victory was certified. Pence became the first sitting vice president since Al Gore in 2001 to preside over a count in which he was a losing candidate, and the riot led to widespread political and legal repercussions for participants.