Joseph Robinette Biden of the Democratic Party has won Tuesday’s presidential election to become the 46th elected President of the United States.
Biden, 77, defeated the Republican incumbent, Donald Trump, by securing 273 electoral college votes against Trump’s 214, after four grueling days of vote count that kept Americans on edge.
The Electoral College refers to the group of presidential electors required by the constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and Vice President.
Article II section 1, clause 2 provides that each state shall appoint electors selected in a manner determined by its legislature.
There are currently 538 electors in the Electoral College, and an absolute majority of electoral votes—270 or more—is required for the college to elect the president and vice president.
If no candidate achieves an absolute majority, a contingent election is held whereby the U.S. Congress is required to elect the president and vice president.
The former Vice President, who turns 78 on Nov. 20, will become the oldest president in U.S. history, after Ronald Reagan, the 40th president, who left office in 1989 at 77.
History has also been made in Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, who is now the first female vice president in America’s history.
The senator from California has also emerged as the first woman of colour to be elected to the White House.
By this result, Trump has become the first one-term U.S. president since the 1990s.
In a statement, Biden said he was “honored and humbled“ by the trust the American people had placed in him and in the Vice President-elect.
“In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America.
“With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation.
”It’s time for America to unite. And to heal. We are the United States of America. And there’s nothing we can’t do, if we do it together”, he said.
Obama, Clintons react
Former U.S. President Barack Obama is among prominent Americans who have reacted to Joe Biden’s projected victory in Tuesday’s presidential election.
In a statement, Obama said Americans were lucky that Biden had what it took to be president and was already carrying himself that way.
“This is because when he walks into the White House in January, he will face extraordinary challenges no incoming president ever has:
“A raging pandemic, an unequal economy and justice system, a democracy at risk and a climate in peril.
“I know he will do the job with the best interest of every American at heart, whether or not he had their vote,” Obama said.
The former president, under whom Biden served as Vice, urged Americans to give him a chance and their support.
According to him, the election results at every level indicates the deep and bitter divisions in the country.
He noted that it would be up to all Americans, not just Biden and the Vice President-elect, Kamala Harris, to “lower the temperature” and unite the country.
In a tweet, Harris said the election was “so much more than Biden and her.
“It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started,” she said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ms Nancy Pelosi, issued a statement saying Americans have elected a president “ready on Day One to crush the coronavirus” to pave the way for economic recovery.
“In President-elect Biden, the American people delivered a mandate for lower health costs, a mandate for creating bigger paychecks by rebuilding America’s infrastructure, and a mandate for cleaner government that works for the public interest, not the special interests.
“And in President-elect Biden, they have elected a unifier who values faith, family and community, and who will work tirelessly to heal our nation.
“President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris won with a strong margin, and they will have a strong Democratic House Majority by their side.
“Working together, we have the opportunity to deliver extraordinary progress For The People,” Pelosi said.
Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, also reacted in separate tweets.
“America has spoken and democracy has won. Now we have a President-Elect and Vice President-Elect who will serve all of us and bring us all together.
“Congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on your momentous victory!,” the former president said.
For her part, Hilary, who lost the presidential race to Trump in 2016, described the Biden-Harris ticket as “history-making”.
“The voters have spoken, and they have chosen @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris to be our next president and vice president.
“It’s a history-making ticket, a repudiation of Trump, and a new page for America.
“Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen. Onward, together,” she said.
This election is far from over – Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to concede after his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, secured the required number of electoral college votes to win the presidential race.
In a defiant statement shortly after Biden was projected winner, Trump said the election was “far from over”, and criticised Biden for “rushing to falsely pose as the winner”.
“Biden has not been certified as the winner of any states, let alone any of the highly contested states headed for mandatory recounts, or states where our campaign has valid and legitimate legal challenges that could determine the ultimate victor.
“Legal votes decide who is president, not the news media.
“Beginning Monday, our campaign will start prosecuting our case in court to ensure election laws are fully upheld and the rightful winner is seated.
“The American people are entitled to an honest election, that means counting all legal ballots, and not counting any illegal ballots,” Trump said.
The president reiterated his allegation that his team was prevented from vote counting centres in key battleground states.
He singled out Pennsylvania, whose 20 electoral college votes put Biden over the 270 required to clinch the seat.
“Only a party engaged in wrongdoing would unlawfully keep observers out of the count room – and then fight in court to block their access.
“I will not rest until the American People have the honest vote count that they deserve and that Democracy demands,” he said.
