2020 United States presidential election facts for kids
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538 members of the Electoral College 270 electoral votes needed to win |
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| Turnout | TBA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Votes counted |
93%
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The 2020 electoral map results Blue shows states won by Biden/Harris. Red shows states won by Trump/Pence.
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The 2020 United States presidential election was a big event where Americans chose their next President and Vice President. It happened on November 3, 2020. Voters picked people called presidential electors. These electors then voted on December 14, 2020.
After the votes were counted, most news groups announced that Joe Biden had won. He became the president-elect of the United States. Joe Biden officially started his job as President on January 20, 2021.
Contents
What was the 2020 US Presidential Election?
This election was a chance for Americans to decide who would lead their country. People voted for candidates from different political parties. The main goal was to choose the next President and Vice President.
Who were the main candidates?
The two main candidates were Donald Trump and Joe Biden. They each had a running mate who would become Vice President if they won.
Donald Trump's Campaign
Donald Trump was the 45th President of the United States. He ran for President again with the Republican Party. His running mate was Mike Pence, who was the Vice President at the time.
Trump had already won the Republican primaries. This meant he was the official candidate for his party.
Joe Biden's Campaign
Joe Biden was a former Vice President. He ran for President with the Democratic Party. He had to win against many other candidates in the Democratic primaries.
In April 2020, Joe Biden became the official Democratic candidate. In August 2020, he chose U.S. Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate. She would become the first female Vice President if they won.
What were the big issues?
Several important topics were discussed during the election. These issues were very important to voters.
One major topic was the COVID-19 pandemic. This sickness had affected many people in the United States. Another issue was the protests about fairness and equality for black Americans.
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was also a big topic. President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to take her place. People also talked about the Affordable Care Act. Joe Biden wanted to keep and improve it, while Donald Trump wanted to end it.
Voting by Mail
In 2020, many more people voted by mail than usual. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Voting by mail helped people avoid large groups at polling places.
Many states made it easier for people to mail in their ballots. This meant a record number of votes were sent by mail. President Trump had concerns about mail voting, saying it could lead to problems.
How the Election Works
The U.S. presidential election has a few steps. It's not just about who gets the most individual votes.
The Electoral College
In the U.S., the President is chosen by the Electoral College. Each state gets a certain number of electoral votes. This number is based on how many people live in the state.
To win the election, a candidate needs to get at least 270 electoral votes. The candidate who wins the most votes in a state usually gets all of that state's electoral votes.
Presidential Primaries
Before the main election, political parties hold "primaries" or "caucuses." These are like mini-elections. In the primaries, people vote to choose which candidate will represent their party in the big election.
For example, in 2020, the Democratic Party had many candidates. Voters chose Joe Biden to be their party's official candidate. The Republican Party chose Donald Trump.
Related pages
- Learn more about the election process:
Images for kids
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A poll worker sanitizes an election booth in Davis, California
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Chart of July 2020 opinion survey on likelihood of voting by mail in November election, compared to 2016
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President Donald Trump with Amy Coney Barrett and her family, just prior to Barrett being announced as the nominee, September 26, 2020
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George Floyd protests in Minneapolis on May 26
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People celebrate in the streets near the White House after the major networks projected Biden the winner of the election on November 7.
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Senator Chuck Schumer addresses a crowd celebrating in Times Square, New York City shortly after the election was called for Biden.
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Voters cast ballots at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa
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Screenshot of a tweet from Trump's Twitter account where he repeatedly and falsely claimed he had won.
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Pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6
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A continuous county-level cartogram of the 2020 United States presidential election
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See also
In Spanish: Elecciones presidenciales de Estados Unidos de 2020 para niños
