Electoral College to vote, formalize Biden's victory, in state capitals nationwide

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/AP)

published 14 December 2020

The Electoral College will vote Monday, formalizing President-elect Joe Biden's win in the Nov. 3 election. The electors will meet in their respective state capitals and Washington, D.C., to cast paper ballots. (Nevada electors are meeting virtually this year.) Biden will likely receive his full 306 electoral votes and President Trump will get 232. The process is typically a largely ceremonial formality, but it is getting increased attention this year because Trump has not conceded, claiming falsely that massive fraud cost him the election. Biden plans to address the nation Monday night on "the Electoral College vote certification and the strength and resilience of our democracy."

Explainer: How the Electoral College works - YouTube

Watch On

After the electors vote, their ballots will be delivered to the president of the Senate by Dec. 23, though there is no penalty if a state misses that deadline. Congress will meet in a special joint session on Jan. 6 to count the electoral votes. Vice President Mike Pence will preside over the count, making him the eighth U.S. vice president charged with announcing that the ticket he ran on lost the election. The last vice president put in that awkward position was Al Gore in 2001.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Speed Reads Us News

To continue reading this article...

Create a free account

Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.

Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.

Cancel or pause at any time.

Already a subscriber to The Week?

Unlimited website access is included with Digital and Print + Digital subscriptions.
with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.

Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox