The anxious wait for the results of the 2020 US Presidential election came to an end on Saturday, 7 November, with several US networks calling the race in favour of Democrat Joe Biden after they projected he would win the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania.
The key state and its 20 electoral votes took Biden over the threshold of the 270 Electoral College votes required to win the election. He was earlier poised within reach of victory with 253 votes as opposed at Donald Trump’s 214.
Biden was later also projected to win the state of Nevada, taking this total count in the Electoral College to 279.
At 77, Biden is set to be the oldest president in US history.
The neck-and-neck race for the 3 November election had earlier boiled down to a few key battleground states, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, North Carolina and Nevada.
PENNSYLVANIA
President Trump actively campaigned in Pennsylvania in the run up to this election, where he bagged a narrow win against Clinton in 2016. After an initial leading, however, he was overtaken by Biden, who won the race with 49.7 percent of the vote, according to a projection by The Associated Press.
Pennsylvania has a total of 20 electoral votes.
NEVADA
Nevada emerged as a crucial state this election. US networks AP, Fox and CNN have called the state in Biden’s favour on Saturday as well, giving 49.9 percent of the vote to the Democrat, while Trump lagged behind at 47.9 percent.
There are six electoral votes in Nevada. With the Pennsylvania and Nevada win, this brings Biden's current electoral vote total to 279.
GEORGIA
With 16 electoral college votes, Georgia had become one of the crucial states that can determine which way the election goes.
Biden (49.5 percent) leads over Trump (49.3 percent) in the state, with the margin being just around 7,000 votes. Earlier, it was Trump who was ahead in the state where no Democratic candidate has won since 1992.
Given the small margin of Presidential votes, the Georgia Secretary of State says there will be a recount on Friday.
ARIZONA
Biden was projected to win Arizona by some networks on Wednesday. Currently, with 90 percent of the estimated total vote reported, the Democrat has 49.7 percent of the vote, while Trump has picked up 48.8 percent.
Biden winning Arizona would mark a significant flip, as it was Trump who had won the state in 2016.
The state contributes 11 electoral votes.
NORTH CAROLINA
The numbers are close in North Carolina too, with Trump in the lead with 50.1 percent of the vote, and Biden not far behind at 48.7 percent. This statistic comes in as 99 percent of all expected votes have been counted.
The state contributes 15 electoral votes.
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