The 2020 U.S. presidential election—conducted during a pandemic with record mail-in voting—saw the highest turnout in 120 years and ended with Joe Biden defeating Donald Trump, who refused to concede.

Pandemic Election

COVID-19 fundamentally altered the 2020 election. States expanded mail-in voting and early voting to reduce Election Day crowds. Approximately 101 million Americans voted before November 3—more than voted early or absentee in 2016 combined.

Trump repeatedly attacked mail-in voting as fraudulent (without evidence), while Democrats encouraged early voting due to pandemic concerns. This created a “red mirage” where Trump led in some states on election night before mail ballots (disproportionately Democratic) were counted.

Record Turnout

159.6 million Americans voted—66.8% of eligible voters, the highest turnout since 1900. Biden received 81.3 million votes (the most in history), while Trump received 74.2 million (second-most in history). Biden won the popular vote by 7 million and the Electoral College 306-232.

Delayed Results

Due to mail ballot counting, results weren’t clear on election night. Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada took days to count. Major networks didn’t project Biden as winner until November 7, four days after Election Day.

Trump’s Refusal to Concede

Trump refused to concede, falsely claiming widespread fraud despite no evidence. He filed dozens of lawsuits challenging results—nearly all were dismissed. Trump’s false claims that the election was “stolen” would culminate in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.

State-by-State Drama

Biden flipped five states Trump won in 2016: Pennsylvania (by 80,000 votes), Michigan (154,000), Wisconsin (21,000), Georgia (12,000), and Arizona (10,000). Georgia’s flip was particularly shocking—the first time the state went Democratic since 1992.

Voting Rights Debates

The election intensified debates about voting access. Democrats argued mail voting and early voting expanded participation, while Republicans claimed (without evidence) it enabled fraud. Republican-controlled state legislatures would subsequently pass voting restrictions.

COVID’s Electoral Impact

The pandemic dominated the campaign. Trump’s handling—downplaying the virus, resisting masks, mocking science—became central to Biden’s campaign. Trump’s October COVID diagnosis briefly shifted the race.

References: Election results by state, FEC data, court rulings on lawsuits, CDC pandemic data, turnout statistics, Pew Research, AP election calls