Joe Biden’s presidential victory has been confirmed by Electoral College, meaning he will be the next US president.
California, the most populous state in the US, delivered its 55 electoral votes to Mr. Biden on Monday afternoon, officially taking him over the 270 votes needed to secure the White House.
All of the election’s most closely contested battleground states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Georgia cast their votes for Biden.
“The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago. And we now know that nothing – not even the pandemic – or an abuse of power – can extinguish that flame,” Biden said in a televised address to the nation from Wilmington, Delaware, on Monday night.
“In America, politicians don’t take power – the people grant it to them,” Biden said, taking direct aim at President Trump’s refusal to concede the November 3 election and attempts by Trump and Republican allies to overturn the results in the courts and with state officials.
“In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed,” Biden said, calling on Trump to recognize his win as a “landslide”.
When all of the states finish voting, Mr. Biden is expected to lead Mr. Trump 306-232 despite the outgoing president still refusing to accept the outcome, falsely insisting that he won the election. On Sunday, the president tweeted: “Votes cannot be certified. This election is under protest!”
The Congress will meet on January 6 to certify the electoral college votes.
President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are due to be sworn in at noon on January 20, 2021.
