After five days of waiting and counting ballots, Joe Biden was announced to be the 46th President of the United States on November 7, 2020, defeating Donald Trump.

Needing 270 electoral votes to win this election, Biden successfully earned 279—according to ABS news—with the help of Pennsylvania flipping blue. This election was a nail-biter for many Americans, to say the least. Counting mail-in ballots left states such as Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia as the final few states to determine the election. Although Biden was victorious, he did not win by a landslide. Pennsylvania was the tipping point; however, he only won by 0.7 percent electoral votes as of Nov. 9. As of Nov. 9, states such as Arizona and North Carolina are still too close to call. 

Due to COVID-19, this election was drastically different compared to previous years. Many Americans felt unsafe because of the virus and refrained from voting in-person on November 2. Over 100 million Americans voted with mail or early in-person voting. Over 160 million Americans cast their vote this year, the highest number of votes ever recorded in American history. 

All over the nation there have been gatherings, displaying mixed emotions about the election results. City streets, such as Times Square and areas outside the White House have been flooded with celebrations of Americans dancing, many popping champagne bottles in response to Biden’s win. 

After Biden was predicted president-elect, Trump made a statement that the election was “far from over.” Many Trump supporters see no reason to celebrate. They have begun protesting the election, feeling that it was unfair and that it should be investigated thoroughly. With mail-in ballots, some citizens feel that not every vote has been accounted for and that there’s a greater opportunity for someone to commit voter fraud. The majority feel that Biden has stolen the election. Since Biden was predicted to win, Trump and his campaign have called for litigation, but there has been no evidence of any vote fraud. 

“And to those who voted for President Trump, I understand your disappointment tonight… But now, let’s give each other a chance,” said Biden during his victory speech. 

The 2020 Election did not fail to make history. Kamala Harris will be the first woman and the first woman of color to be elected Vice-President of the United States. Sarah McBride has been announced the first transgender state senator. Openly gay people of color, such as Ritchie Torres and Monadire Jones have also made history in this election. 

Although Americans remain divided, many have been brought together due to the overwhelming amount of “firsts” in this election. Americans are anxious to see what the country’s future looks like in the hands of Biden and Harris.