Electoral College: Biden affirmed president-elect as California electors push him over 270 votes

Electors cast definitive votes for president-elect

Trump vows to continue to fight election result after loss to Biden

Joe Biden has received more than 270  Electoral College votes, securing the president-elect’s victory as electors across the country cast their votes on behalf of the 50 states and the Washington DC to choose the next president.

In a speech to her state’s electors, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said: "After today, the results will be final. It's time to move forward together."

Donald Trump has meanwhile continued to rage against his election defeat on Twitter, arguing without evidence for his claims that: "Swing States that have found massive VOTER FRAUD, which is all of them, CANNOT LEGALLY CERTIFY these votes as complete & correct without committing a severely punishable crime." 

Mr Biden received 306 votes to Mr Trump’s 232 in accordance with last month’s election results, bringing the country closer to ending a nightmarish post-election period in which the president has doggedly contested his challenger’s victory through a series of frivolous lawsuits.

He has thus far comprehensively failed to substantiate his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, with dozens of challenges filed by his campaign in crucial swing states that he won in 2016.

Following the votes, two more top Republican senators have acknowledged Mr Biden’s victory, including South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham and Missouri’s Roy Blunt.

The results now head to Washington to be tallied during a joint session of Congress. Vice president Mike Pence will preside.

Mr Biden is set to be sworn into office on 20 January.

Check out The Independent’s live coverage and analysis below.

► For the latest on the presidency, follow our dedicated Donald Trump liveblog

• What time does the Electoral College begin meeting?
• Biden aides hope vote is a turning point for divisive fight over election results
• Explainer: The Electoral College, an unlovable compromise
• Michigan lawmaker stripped of duties after refusing to rule out violence

Key Points

• California casts 55 electoral votes for Biden, securing 2020 victory
• Electoral College to confirm Biden as president-elect
• Michigan closes state Capitol over ‘credible threats of violence’
• Trump insists challenge ‘not over’ and attacks Supreme Court
• Coronavirus necessitates scaled-back vote
• Trump die-hards insist they still won’t recognise Biden

[14 December 2020 17:50 · Chris Riotta]

Trump loses Wisconsin Supreme Court appeal as Electoral College votes to confirm Biden as president-elect

Not the best day of news for the president, who is continuing to push baseless threats to overturn the electoral results:

[14 December 2020 17:30 · Chris Riotta]

Biden tweets ‘better days are ahead’ as Electoral College meets to vote

Sharing a glimmer of hopeful news surrounding the first coronavirus vaccine shots being administered in the US today, the president-elect tweeted the following message as the Electoral College met on Monday:

[14 December 2020 17:10 · Chris Riotta]

Nevada votes to confirm President-elect Joe Biden

Here’s video of the moment the state’s six electors confirmed Biden as the next president-elect: 

[14 December 2020 16:50 · Chris Riotta]

GOP electors reportedly meet behind closed doors with Georgia Republican officials at Capitol

A reporter has tweeted an interesting bit from Capitol Hill, where electors are set to vote as part of the Electoral College:

[14 December 2020 16:30 · Chris Riotta]

Vermont electors officially vast their three votes for President-elect Joe Biden

The first three electors in the country to officially cast their ballots for the Electoral College have voted for President-elect Joe Biden.

[14 December 2020 16:10 · Chris Riotta]

Biden aides hope Electoral College vote is GOP turning point

Joe Biden’s aides have a message for President Donald Trump and his supporters: It’s long past time to move on.

[14 December 2020 15:50 · Chris Riotta]

Electors meeting to formally choose Biden as next president

Presidential electors are meeting across the United States on Monday to formally choose Joe Biden as the nation’s next president.

[14 December 2020 15:30 · Chris Riotta]

Legal expert debunks Trump team’s baseless threats to overturn election results

Marc Elias, a legal expert who has surmounted quite the following while tracking the president’s legal defeats, had this to say about White House adviser Stephen Miller’s latest appearance on Fox News:

[14 December 2020 15:11 · Chris Riotta]

‘Credible threats of violence’ force Michigan officials to close government buildings ahead of electoral college vote

ICYMI: Michigan officials have closed government buildings ahead of Monday’s electoral college vote due to security concerns.

[14 December 2020 14:53 · Chris Riotta]

Trump team make baseless threat to overturn Electoral College as meetings officially get underway

White House adviser Stephen Miller is currently claiming on Fox News that President Donald Trump can still effectively overturn his resounding defeat in the 2020 elections with a group of electors staging their own vote. That vote is meaningless, however, as it will not be conducted by the Electoral College and will have no legal weight.