Biden Receives Record-Breaking Number of Votes

With more than 73 million votes so far, Biden has broken the record previously set by President Barack Obama, who received about 69.5 million votes to win in 2008.

It will likely be weeks before we know the final tally, but if the current trends hold, Biden will see a larger popular vote margin than Hillary Clinton in 2016, Barack Obama in 2012, or George W. Bush in 2004. The Electoral College, and Pennsylvania’s achingly slow vote count, turned the election into a nail-biter, but in terms of support, it was never even close.

With more than 73 million votes so far, Biden has broken the record previously set by President Barack Obama, who received about 69.5 million votes to win in 2008. The 73 million number gave Biden 50 percent of the popular vote as of Friday morning, with President Trump taking 48 percent.

The 2020 election is on pace for a record turnout, with at least 159.8 million Americans voting, according to NBC. That’s the highest turnout rate among eligible voters since 1900. This has bolstered both candidates, with President Trump also appearing to break Obama’s record, netting more than 69.8 million votes as of Friday morning.

During a speech on Wednesday, Biden congratulated American voters for coming out in unprecedented numbers to make their voices heard. “Yesterday once again proved that democracy is the heartbeat of this nation,” he said. “Here the people rule. Power can’t be taken or asserted. It flows from the people, and it is their will that determines who will be the president of the United States and their will alone.”

There are at least 30,000 mail ballots in Philadelphia remaining to be counted (and potentially more in-person Election Day votes there as well). So far, mail ballots in Pennsylvania have favored Biden — even in pro-Trump areas.

Biden needs to hold on to both Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to be sure of topping the 270 electoral votes he needs for victory.