Election results and lawsuits
The November 2020 presidential election resulted in Joe Biden winning 306 electoral votes to Donald Trump's 232. Trump refused to concede promptly and challenged results in multiple states. Election administrators, courts and officials from both parties rejected claims that widespread fraud changed the outcome.
Campaign and allied lawsuits challenged ballots, procedures and certifications. Courts frequently dismissed claims for lack of evidence, standing, or other legal defects. A lawsuit's filing is not evidence that its allegations were established.
Pressure on states and Congress
After state certification, Trump and allies sought ways to reverse the result. The January 2, 2021 recorded call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger became a prominent example of pressure on state election officials.
Groups of Trump supporters in several states signed documents purporting to be alternate electoral votes. The January 6 House committee examined how these certificates and efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence were intended to affect the congressional count. The committee's account is an investigative finding; individual legal responsibility requires separate analysis.
Certification and transition
The Electoral College met on December 14, 2020. Congress convened January 6 to count the votes, but the Capitol attack interrupted the session. Lawmakers reconvened and certified Biden's victory early on January 7.
Biden was inaugurated January 20, 2021. Subsequent federal and state investigations explored aspects of the attempt to overturn the election, with differing procedural outcomes. This collection tracks the election process and related institutions, while the January 6 collection focuses on the attack and immediate consequences.
Certified results versus competing claims
State certifications and official electoral votes determined the election outcome. Post-election lawsuits, allegations, alternative elector paperwork, and political pressure were attempts to challenge or change that outcome. The documentary record must distinguish judicial decisions from campaign claims and from congressional findings.
In-Depth Historical Articles
After the 2020 election, the Trump campaign and allied plaintiffs filed numerous lawsuits concerning ballots, election administration, and certification. The cases differed in their allegations, defendants, and requested remedies.
2020-12-11
Following the November 3, 2020 presidential election, states canvassed results, conducted required audits and recounts, and certified their presidential electors under state law. Joe Biden won 306 electoral votes to Donald Trump’s 232.
2020-12-14
On December 14, 2020, groups of Trump supporters met in several states that had certified Biden victories and signed documents purporting to cast electoral votes for Trump. The documents were sent to federal recipients despite lacking the certification required for official electoral votes.
2020-12-14
On January 2, 2021, President Trump spoke with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and other officials about Georgia’s certified election result. During the recorded conversation, Trump urged officials to find 11,780 votes, one more than Biden’s margin.
2021-01-02
Congress convened on January 6, 2021 to count the electoral votes. Objections to some state returns were debated, but the proceedings were interrupted when rioters breached the Capitol.
2021-01-07
Documented Chronology
Event descriptions summarize the available record. Linked references provide supporting context; not every source independently verifies every detail of an event.