In a unique race to the White House in decades, Biden has taken a definitive edge over Trump in the electoral votes. The election has seen a record turnout in more than a century. The Democrats won the state of Arizona, which for two decades was with Republicans. Subsequently, Biden won the states of Wisconsin and Michigan as well taking the race ahead in favour of Democrats.
Biden stated in a press meet that the democrats are confident of winning the required 270 electoral votes to claim the Presidency, but he cautiously stopped short of declaring his victory.
The racing ahead of Democrats has triggered a panic reaction from Trump who had first prematurely declared his victory prior to the conclusion of counting and then cried foul as Biden aced ahead. Trump also sought a recount in Wisconsin and sought to halt vote-counting in Pennsylvania and Michigan. It is primarily because the Biden campaign has shown confidence that they are winning Pennsylvania and also because there is an increasing trend in this election for mail-in ballots, which was earlier protested by Trump. As Trump saw the trend, he had stopped raising it as an issue. At present, the swings states which are remaining to be decided include Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania among the major decisive bases of votes.
In Arizona, it was alleged that sharpies were used to fill out ballots because of which the votes for Trump were canceled. The election officials in Arizona confirmed that Sharpies were used but that would not invalidate the votes. It is also observed that Trump might move the court in case he fails to make the mark of 270 electoral votes. In 2000, the Bush vs Al Gore race was hanging on one state- Florida. In that election, the Gore campaign had sought a recount.
The Bush campaign had then appealed to the Supreme court of the US, which then ruled to block the recounting. That led the Bush campaign to win the state of Florida and consequently Bush winning the Presidency. It must be noted that Biden is now six electoral votes away from the presidency. Some quarters have also observed that the counting in Pennsylvania may continue for days. In the majority of the votes that remain to be counted, the ballots were cast by Mail which has helped Biden by a huge margin.
The Trump campaign is planning on taking legal action in Arizona and Nevada, given that Trump’s road to a second term has been constricted dramatically.
While the US was witnessing the counting of votes in the Swing states, crowds had gathered outside the White House under the “black lives matter” chanting. The crowds also clashed with police outside the White House while protesting against the Trump-led government.
While the current status of votes counting has projected a Democrat win and Biden becoming the President, it remains to be seen how the US election finally pans out with the entire world set its eyes upon it.