Electoral College affirms Biden victory for president

Photos courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and U.S. senator, served as electors for the state in a vote in Albany today.

The Electoral College affirmed the presidential victory for Joe Biden today, giving him 306 votes to 232 for Donald Trump. The electors also cemented Kamala Harris as the next vice president.

The votes will be sent to Congress to be counted on Jan. 6. Biden is to be inaugurated at noon on Jan. 20.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo presided over the Electoral College vote in New York today, with all 29 electors in the state casting votes for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo presided over the Electoral College vote today in Albany in the State Assembly chambers. Cuomo also served as one of the state’s 29 electors. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, the former first lady and secretary of state, also were electors for the state.

Judith Hunter of Geneseo served as an elector, representing rural New York.

“The brevity of our proceedings does not minimize the gravity of our actions,” Cuomo said in the Assembly chambers. “In fact, it’s quite the opposite. This pandemic, these masks, this physical configuration, are a stark reminder to the nation that government matters, and leadership matters, and good government can not only improve people’s lives, but can literally save people’s lives. So today, let the people choose our government and let us move forward.”

Biden, the president-elect, later addressed the nation and condemned Trump’s efforts to undo the results of the election through legal challenges and pressure on officials in battleground states that Biden won – Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Georgia. Judges, including at the U.S. Supreme Court, have dismissed the Trump election lawsuits.

“In this battle for the soul of America, democracy prevailed,” Biden said. “We the people voted. Faith in our institutions held. The integrity of our elections remains intact. And so, now it is time to turn the page. To unite. To heal.”

In the popular vote nationwide, Biden had 7 million more votes than Trump, or 81,283,495 to 74,223,755, according to the Associated Press.