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Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk: Presidential election
Click here for more information about our 2020 election coverage.
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The 2020 election took place against a backdrop of uncertainty. Our readers had questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from the casting of ballots to the certification of final results. Ballotpedia's 2020 Election Help Desk was designed to answer those questions.
Frequently asked questions related to the 2020 presidential election include:
- What happens if a presidential candidate declares victory in the 2020 election before results are final?
- Can presidential candidates win the election if they have already conceded?
- How will election recounts work?
- Who is the president if election results are unknown by January 20, 2021?
- What happens if there is a tie in the Electoral College?
- What happens if a presidential nominee becomes incapacitated before the election?
- What are faithless electors in the Electoral College?
- What are the steps and deadlines for electing the President of the United States?
As always, if you need to know what else is on the ballot besides the presidential election, click here to use our sample ballot lookup tool.
What happens if a presidential candidate declares victory in the 2020 election before results are final?
It is not uncommon for a candidate to declare victory on election night in all levels of election. But what would happen if a presidential candidate declared victory on election night but ultimately went on to lose the election? Click here to find out.
Can presidential candidates win the election if they have already conceded?
It is not uncommon for a candidate to concede on election night in all levels of election. But what would happen if a presidential candidate conceded on election night but ultimately went on to win the election? Click here to find out.
How will election recounts work?
- See also: How will election recounts work?
An election recount is a process by which votes cast in an election are re-tabulated to verify the accuracy of the original results. Recounts typically occur in the event of a close margin of victory, following accusations of election fraud, or due to the possibility of administrative errors.[1] Click here to learn more about how they begin, how they work, and what happens after they end.
Who is the president if election results are unknown by January 20, 2021?
The current presidential term officially ends on January 20, 2021. Even if the election results are not finalized by that date, President Donald Trump (R) will no longer be president, and Vice President Mike Pence (R) will no longer be vice president. What happens next would depend on several factors. Click here to learn what would happen in this scenario.
What happens if there is a tie in the Electoral College?
The Electoral College is the process by which the states and District of Columbia elect the president of the United States. Each state is represented by a number of electors equal to the size of its congressional delegation. There are 538 electors in total. To win the Electoral College, a candidate must receive a majority—at least 270—electoral votes.[2] Although it has never happened, it is theoretically possible that the 538 electoral votes could be evenly split between two candidates, resulting in a 269-269 tie. How would the presidential election be decided in that case? Click here to learn the answer.
What happens if a presidential nominee becomes incapacitated before the election?
Whether it is possible for a party to change a presidential candidate's name on the general election ballot depends on ballot certification deadlines set by the states. In most states, the deadline to replace a candidate’s name in 2020 was September 8 or earlier. What happens if a party's nominee is incapacitated after it is too late to replace his or her name on the ballot? Click here to learn the answer.
What are faithless electors in the Electoral College?
In general, members of the Electoral College are expected to vote for the winner of the popular vote in their state or the candidates of the party that nominated them to serve as electors. Electors who choose not to vote for the winner of the popular vote or the candidates of the party that nominated them are known as faithless electors. How common are faithless electors? Have faithless electors ever changed the outcome of a presidential election? Click here to find out.
What are the steps and deadlines for electing the President of the United States?
The presidential election unfolds according to a standard timeline, set by law. When does the Electoral College vote, and when does Congress convene to review the results? Click here to find out.
Can members of Congress object to Electoral College results?
After each presidential election, Congress holds a joint session to confirm the results of a presidential election. During this session, members have the opportunity to raise objections to electoral votes. How does this process work? Have members of Congress ever objected to a result? Click here to find out.
See also
Footnotes
