By BallotWire
2020
The 2020 U.S. presidential election, held on November 3, was one of America's most consequential and turbulent contests. Incumbent Republican President Donald Trump faced off against Democratic challenger Joe Biden, who previously served as Vice President of the United States under President Barack Obama. Set against the backdrop of a global pandemic, widespread civil unrest, and a politically fractured nation, the election proved to be both a logistical challenge and a profound test of democratic institutions.
The 2020 election witnessed an unprecedented voter turnout, with over 158 million Americans casting their votes, marking a turnout rate of 66.6%—the highest since 1900. Joe Biden's victory was historic, receiving over 81 million votes (51.31%), the most ever for a presidential candidate. On the other hand, Donald Trump garnered more than 74 million votes (46.86%), which is the second-highest total in history. In the Electoral College, Biden secured a decisive win with 306 votes to Trump's 232. Another historic milestone was Kamala Harris's election as vice president, making her the first woman, African-American, and Asian-American to hold the nation's second-highest office.
The 2020 election was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated a complete overhaul of the election process. Virtual events replaced traditional campaign rallies; over 100 million Americans opted for early or mail-in voting. Many states expanded absentee voting to ensure safety, resulting in record-breaking early votes and a delay in the official results. The nation was also grappling with deep social unrest following the death of George Floyd, with protests for racial justice surging across the country. This put civil rights, policing reform, and systemic inequality at the forefront of national discourse. The fate of the Affordable Care Act and the rushed confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett following Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death also remained pivotal.
Biden centered his campaign around national unity, a return to stability, and a renewed faith in government. His team focused on recapturing the "blue wall" states—Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania—that Trump had narrowly flipped in 2016. In Pennsylvania, Biden won 50.01% of the vote, compared to Trump's 48.84%, with a margin of about 80,000 votes. In Michigan, Biden secured 50.62% compared to Trump's 47.84%, while in Wisconsin, he won by a narrower margin of 49.45% to Trump's 48.83%. Holding 46 electoral votes, these three states were critical to Biden's path to 306 total electoral votes and ultimately to his victory. His campaign emphasized unity, pandemic management, and economic recovery—key themes that resonated with many working-class and suburban voters in these traditionally Democratic-leaning battlegrounds.
He succeeded and pulled off surprise victories in Arizona and Georgia, both traditionally red states. In Arizona, Biden received 49.36% of the vote, while Donald Trump secured 49.06%, giving Biden a victory margin of 0.3%, or 10,457 votes. This win marked the first time a Democratic presidential candidate carried Arizona since Bill Clinton in 1996. Meanwhile, Biden earned 49.51% of the vote in Georgia, narrowly surpassing Trump's 49.25%, resulting in a slim margin of 0.26%. With this victory, Biden became the first Democrat to win Georgia in a presidential race since 1992.
Due to the high volume of mail-in ballots and delays in counting, major media outlets did not project Biden as the winner until Saturday, November 7—four days after Election Day. Joe Biden was officially inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States on January 20, 2021, with Kamala Harris taking the oath as vice president. The election will be remembered not just for its outcome but for the extraordinary conditions under which it took place and the lasting impact it left on the American political landscape.