2020 United States elections
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| 2020 United States elections | |
|---|---|
 Kingofthedead · Public domain · source | |
| Name | 2020 United States elections |
| Date | November 3, 2020 |
| Type | Presidential, Congressional, Gubernatorial, State, Local |
| Registered voters | 239,556,000 (approx.) |
| Turnout | 66.8% (approx.) |
| President | Donald Trump → Joe Biden |
| Senate | 35 seats contested; control decided by majority and runoff in Georgia |
| House | All 435 seats contested |
| Governorships | 11 seats contested |
2020 United States elections
The 2020 United States elections were a nationwide series of federal, state, and local contests held during the presidency of Donald Trump and amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. Major outcomes included the election of Joe Biden as President, competitive contests for control of the United States Senate culminating in Georgia runoffs that involved Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, and a closely divided United States House of Representatives with leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy shaping the post-election agenda. The cycle featured unprecedented levels of mail-in ballot use, litigation involving the Supreme Court of the United States, and significant mobilization by groups including the Democratic Party (United States), the Republican Party (United States), Black Lives Matter, and civic organizations like the League of Women Voters.
Background and Political Context
The 2020 cycle unfolded against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aftermath of the 2016 United States presidential election, and mass protests following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Key institutional actors such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Election Commission, and the U.S. Department of Justice faced scrutiny alongside political institutions like the United States Congress and state secretaries of state including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. Major policy debates involved the Affordable Care Act, trade disputes tied to the People's Republic of China, and federal responses under the Trump administration and transition planning by the Biden transition team.
Federal Elections
The federal ballot included the presidential contest between incumbent Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden, with running mates Mike Pence and Kamala Harris respectively, and several third-party and independent tickets such as Howie Hawkins and Jill Stein-era movements. All 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives were contested, with leaders Nancy Pelosi for the Democratic Party (United States) and Kevin McCarthy for the Republican Party (United States); marquee House races included districts represented by Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Liz Cheney. Thirty-five United States Senate seats were on the ballot, including high-profile contests in Arizona between Martha McSally and Mark Kelly, in Colorado involving Cory Gardner and John Hickenlooper, and in Georgia where special and regular elections led to runoff contests involving David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. Senate control was ultimately decided by runoffs that elevated Chuck Schumer and determined committee leadership.
State and Local Elections
State and local contests included gubernatorial races in Florida with Ron DeSantis, in Georgia with Brian Kemp, and in Wisconsin with Tony Evers; legislative control battles occurred in state houses such as the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Michigan Legislature, and the North Carolina General Assembly. Ballot measures addressed issues like infrastructure and criminal justice reform in states including California, Arizona, and Oregon, while municipal contests in cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago determined mayoral leadership and local councils. Secretaries of state, including California Secretary of State Alex Padilla prior to his United States Senate appointment, and local election boards like those in Maricopa County and Wayne County played pivotal roles in administration.
Voter Access, Turnout, and Participation
Turnout increased markedly, with organizations including the Biden campaign, the Trump campaign, Rock the Vote, and Vote.org investing heavily in voter registration and mobilization. Policy changes at the state level—such as expansions of mail voting in Nevada, drop box deployment in Colorado, and absentee ballot rules in Pennsylvania—were implemented alongside litigation in courts including the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Disparities in participation prompted analysis by scholars at institutions like Harvard University and Stanford University and advocacy by groups including Common Cause and the ACLU.
Election Administration and Security
Election administration engaged state election officials such as Kim Wyman and local boards like the Georgia State Election Board, coordinated with federal entities including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, and faced cyber and misinformation threats traced to actors analyzed by the Intelligence Community and researchers at the Brookings Institution and RAND Corporation. Security measures involved chain-of-custody procedures, signature verification practices used in Pennsylvania and Arizona, and forensic audits such as those later performed in Maricopa County and overseen by officials like Kris Kobach in select jurisdictions.
Results, Aftermath, and Legal Challenges
Final tallies awarded the presidency to Joe Biden and the vice presidency to Kamala Harris, with the Electoral College (United States) certifying results and the United States Congress performing the count on January 6, 2021—a session disrupted by a breach of the United States Capitol by protesters. Numerous post-election legal challenges were filed by the Trump campaign and allied groups including the Tea Party-aligned litigants and attorneys such as Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell against state officials in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, and Arizona; many suits were dismissed by judges including John Roberts-appointed jurists and others on panels of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and state supreme courts like the Supreme Court of Georgia. Certification processes in states including Michigan and Arizona proceeded amid recounts and audits, and transitions managed by the General Services Administration and the Biden transition team facilitated executive branch turnover.
Political and Policy Impacts
The election reshaped leadership in both chambers of the United States Congress, influencing legislative agendas on stimulus under Speaker Nancy Pelosi and potential judicial confirmations under Senate leaders including Mitch McConnell until the Georgia runoff shifted dynamics toward Chuck Schumer. Policy implications touched the Affordable Care Act's prospects, executive actions on climate change tied to the Paris Agreement, and bipartisan negotiations on further pandemic relief affecting states such as New York and Texas. The election also prompted renewed debates over election law reform in Congress, with proposals from lawmakers including John Lewis-era advocates and newer voices such as Alex Padilla addressing voting rights, federal oversight, and administration reforms.