Pennsylvania certifies election results, sealing state victory for Biden

Trump launched legal battle in crucial battleground state that handed president-elect victory

Pennsylvania’s governor and election officials have certified presidential election voting results in the state for Joe Biden, ensuring the president-elect receives the state’s 20 electoral college votes.

"As required by federal law, I’ve signed the Certificate of Ascertainment for the slate of electors for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris," Governor Tom Wolf said on Tuesday.

“Again, I want to thank the election officials who have administered a fair and free election during an incredibly challenging time in our commonwealth and country's history,” he said in his announcement on social media. “Our election workers have been under constant attack and they have performed admirably and honorably.”

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said her office is “tremendously grateful to all 67 counties who have been working extremely long hours to ensure that every qualified voter’s vote is counted safely and securely”.

"The county election officials and the poll workers are the true heroes of our democracy, enabling us to vote in record numbers, amid challenging circumstances, so that every eligible voter’s voice could be heard,” she said in a statement.

Election boards in two of the largest counties in the state voted along party lines to certify their county’s results on Monday, with Republican board members voting against the results.

Officials voted 2-1 in Allegheny County and 3-2 in Luzerne County.

No counties voted against certifying their results, with most counties reporting unanimously to confirm them.

The Trump campaign was dealt several legal blows in Pennsylvania as it sought to overturn results and toss out ballots in several states.

Following a challenge from the president’s legal team, the state’s Supreme Court ruled on Monday that more than 8,000 mailed-in ballots from Philadelphia must be counted.

Mr Biden carried the state by roughly 81,000 votes from nearly 7 million ballots cast. He is the first presidential candidate in history to receive more than 80 million votes from the national popular vote count.

The electoral college is scheduled to convene in December to formally elect the president-elect as the nation’s 46th president.