Joe Biden Formally Wins Presidency, Crosses 270 Electoral Votes

President-elect Joe Biden just cleared the 270-vote mark at the Electoral College, formally securing his place as the 46th President of the United States. The AP reports that it was the 55 votes from California that hurled him over the finish line. The official news comes as Biden was projected to be the winner of the 2020 election, also winning the popular vote. Notably, outgoing-president Donald Trump has yet to concede the election to Biden, and some doubt that he ever will.

CNN reports that, based on experts from his upcoming victory speech, Biden will call on the nation to “turn the page, to unite, to heal.” He will add, “In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed. We the people voted. Faith in our institutions held. The integrity of our elections remains intact.” Biden’s speech is set to be delivered 7:30 pm ET, from his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.

In addition to his urging citizens to unify, Biden will also address the COVID-19 crisis. “There is urgent work in front of all of us,” he will say. “Getting the pandemic under control to getting the nation vaccinated against this virus. Delivering immediate economic help so badly needed by so many Americans who are hurting today — and then building our economy back better than ever.” Biden also plans to comment on American democracy, reportedly calling it an enduring force in the face of an “abuse of power.”

In a statement on his website, posted before the announcement, Biden commented on his projected win, saying, “The people of this nation have spoken. They have delivered us a clear victory. A convincing victory. A victory for ‘We the People.’”

His statement continued, “We have won with the most votes ever cast for a presidential ticket in the history of this nation — 74 million. I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me. I pledge to be a President who seeks not to divide, but to unify. Who doesn’t see Red and Blue states, but a United States. And who will work with all my heart to win the confidence of the whole people. For that is what America is about: The people.”