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Election 2020 updates: Biden warns of 'dark winter,' pushes masks in pandemic plan

The president-elect emphasized how he would handle the pandemic response.

ByCatherine Thorbecke, Morgan Winsor, Libby Cathey, Adia Robinson, Lauren King, Emily Shapiro, Ivan Pereira, and Marc Nathanson
Last Updated: November 10, 2020, 10:14 AM EST

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.

The 2020 election has shattered voting records with votes totaling 147 million and counting, surpassing the 138 million who voted in 2016.

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Here's how election week unfolded. All times Eastern.
Nov 05, 2020, 4:34 PM EST

Biden stresses calm, says 'each ballot must be counted'

Biden addressed the nation Thursday afternoon, saying, "Each ballot must be counted."

"Democracy is sometimes messy. It sometimes requires a little patience," Biden said.

Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks as Sen. and Vice-Presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, looks on at the Queen venue in Wilmington, Del., Nov. 5, 2020.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

"We have no doubt that when the count is finished, Senator [Kamala] Harris and I will be declared the winners," he said. "So I ask everyone to stay calm... The process is working. The count is being completed and we'll know very soon."

Before speaking about the election, Biden mentioned COVID-19, saying he and Harris just finished briefings on the pandemic and the economy.

"Cases are on the rise nationwide and we're nearing 240,000 deaths," Biden said. "Our hearts go out to each and every family that has lost a loved one to this terrible disease."

Nov 05, 2020, 4:10 PM EST

ABC News to broadcast prime-time special on election

ABC News will broadcast another one-hour prime-time special, "Election 2020 -- A Special Edition of '20/20'" at 10 p.m. Thursday on the ABC television network and on ABC News Live.

Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos will lead coverage from New York City joined by "World News Tonight" Anchor David Muir, "ABC News Live Prime" Anchor Linsey Davis and ABC News’ powerhouse political team reporting the newest developments on the race to the White House. ABC News correspondents will report from battleground states where the decision still hangs in the balance. 

ABC News Live will air a special edition of "ABC News Live Prime" anchored by Davis from 7 to 9:30 p.m. ET.

Nov 05, 2020, 3:40 PM EST

Trump's lead in Georgia is under 13,000 votes

Election observers sit in front of the media as vote counting in the general election continues at State Farm Arena on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, in Atlanta.
Brynn Anderson/AP

Trump is leading Georgia by just 12,835 votes.

Trump has 49.5% (2,436,443 votes) while Biden has 49.2% (2,423,608 votes).

Approximately 47,277 ballots were still outstanding in the state as of 2:40 p.m., according to the secretary of state.

-ABC News' Quinn Scanlan

Nov 05, 2020, 2:41 PM EST

Clark County Clerk concerned about safety of staff

In Clark County, Nevada, county registrar Joe Gloria said the tightening race is leaving him "concerned for the safety of my staff."

There have been some protests outside the building.

"My wife and my mother are very concerned for me, but we have security here," Gloria said. "We have law enforcement who are protecting us. I am concerned for the safety of my staff. We're putting measures into place to make sure that we have the security that's necessary."

Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe Gloria speaks to the news media about the process of vote tallying during a press conference at Clark County Election Department on Nov. 5, 2020, in North Las Vegas.
Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images

"We're going to be okay. We're going to continue to count. We will not allow anyone to stop us from doing what our duty is: counting ballots," he said. 

-ABC News' Meg Cunningham

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