Note from the Editorial Board: We understand this election has been a sensitive subject. We have chosen to report the most accurate information we have at this time. 

As of November 7, 2020, former Vice President Joseph Biden has been named the projected winner of the 2020 presidential election. The official winner will be announced in December of 2020 when the electoral college convenes. The winner will officially take office in January 2021.

After Nov. 3, the official date of the election, citizens of the United States anxiously waited for the results. Many states took their time in counting ballots before electoral votes were cast and states were called.

The election was called by news outlets at 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 7 when Pennsylvania tipped to Biden, giving him 284 electoral votes (270 are needed to win). Not every vote has been counted, so this is just a projected win. Since Nov. 7, Nevada has been called for Biden, putting him at 290 votes, and Alaska has been called for Trump, leaving him with 217. Georgia and North Carolina are the only remaining states that haven’t been called. At this point, every state but Alaska and New York has at least 90 percent of their votes counted.

The Trump administration has concerns about the legitimacy of Biden’s win because of allegations of voter fraud. There are also many close calls in counties that will end up requiring a recount before the election’s results can be finalized and a president is named.

Trump has already filed lawsuits against Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Michigan after falling behind Biden in the presidential race. At the time of the lawsuits, Michigan was the only one of the three to have been called by the Associated Press; Pennsylvania and Georgia remained undecided.

President Trump has also called for a recount in Wisconsin and Georgia and there are recounts going on in other states as well. Automatic recounts if the margins are too close are often required in many states.

When voting is finalized, recounts are made, and electoral votes are in, the current president or the former vice president will be named the official president elect.

If Biden ends up taking office in 2021, it will be the first time a woman is our vice president. Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate, would also be the first vice president to be Black or be of South Asian decent.