Joe Biden is set to become the 46th president of the United States, capping a tumultuous and tension-filled campaign during a historic pandemic against President Donald Trump. ABC News characterized Joe Biden as the apparent winner of his home state of Pennsylvania, putting him over the 270 vote threshold needed to capture the presidency.
The hard-fought battle against the president was set against the backdrop of racial unrest and the coronavirus pandemic and bitter divisions among the electorate.
Trump had falsely declared on election night, when he held a lead in several key states, that he won the contest and alleged without evidence, after the count started to swing the other way, that the election was being stolen from him and that fraud had been committed.
Painting the election as a "battle for the soul of the nation," Biden won on a message of unity over division, compassion over anger, and reality over what he called Trump's "wishful thinking" as the coronavirus pandemic cast a heavy shadow over the campaign.
Here's how election week unfolded. All times Eastern.
Nov 04, 2020, 4:11 PM EST
North Carolina officials give election update
The North Carolina State Board of Elections said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference that the number of outstanding absentee by mail ballots stands at 117,000.
The Board of Elections also said it hit a new state record with 74% voter participation.
With 95% of the expected vote reporting, Trump has a narrow 50% lead over Biden’s 49% in the state.
Local county boards will complete their canvass of votes on Nov. 13, and the state board will meet on Nov. 24 to certify the results, officials said.
-ABC News’ Tonya Simpson
Nov 04, 2020, 3:40 PM EST
Trump's lead tightens in Georgia
With 93% of the expected vote reporting in Georgia, Trump's margin has tightened slightly. Trump is now leading by 79,509 votes -- the president has 2,391,871 votes (50%) and Joe Biden has 2,312,362 votes (49%).
Earlier, Trump was leading by about 103,00 votes.
Voters wait on line to to cast their votes on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020, in Atlanta.
John Spink/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP
Voters cast ballots at Lucky Shoals Park polling station, Nov. 3, 2020, in Norcross, Ga.
Jessica Mcgowan/Getty Images
In Fulton County -- Georgia's most populous county -- there are about 67,000 to 68,000 votes that still need to be reported, according to the county Director of Registration and Elections Rick Barron.
The outstanding votes are made up of about 25,000 that have already been scanned and are going through an adjudication process. Another roughly 42,000 absentee ballots need to be processed, scanned and adjudicated.
Barron estimated that the votes will be finished between 9 p.m. and midnight.
There are no mandatory recounts in Georgia. The losing candidate must have lost by less than 0.5% of the total votes cast in the race in order to request a recount, according to the secretary of state's office.
-ABC News' Quinn Scanlan
Nov 04, 2020, 3:40 PM EST
Michigan attorney general responds to Trump campaign’s suit
The Michigan attorney general’s office responded to the Trump campaign saying earlier today it had filed a lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Claims to halt ballot counting, claiming it had not been provided "access to numerous counting locations."
The office said it has not been notified about the suit yet in court but that the election process is transparent.
"Michigan’s elections have been conducted transparently, with access provided for both political parties and the public, and using a robust system of checks and balances to ensure that all ballots are counted fairly and accurately,” Ryan Jarvi, a spokesperson for Attorney General Dana Nessel, said in a statement.
“Michigan will always continue to protect the rights of all voters to have their ballots counted," Jarvi added.
-ABC News Kendall Karson
Nov 04, 2020, 3:20 PM EST
Lansing, Michigan, finishes ballot count
Lansing, the capital city in Michigan, is done counting ballots, the city clerk's office told ABC News.
An election worker carries absentee ballots for counting at the Lansing city clerk's office on election night, Nov. 3, 2020, in Lansing, Mich.
John Moore/Getty Images
With 99% of the expected vote reporting in the county, Biden has won 65% compared to Trump’s 33%.
Lansing sits in Ingham County, which Hillary Clinton won by roughly 35,000 votes in 2016. Biden's margin is over 46,000 votes.
