The 2020 Presidential Election
Background Information:
The 2020 United States Presidential Election was a highly significant political
event that occurred against the backdrop of profound social challenges. We saw
the face-off between incumbent Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe
Biden in one of the most closely watched and contentious elections in recent
history. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted substantial changes to the voting
process, including a surge in early and mail-in voting.
With two radically divergent views of the nation, the campaign was
characterised by severe polarisation, with concerns regarding healthcare, racial
inequalities, economic recovery, and pandemic management dominating public
conversations. As depicted in Figure 9, the election saw a record voter turnout,
further indicating the increased civic participation and the significance of the result. 126 In the end, Joe Biden secured victory and became the 46 th President of
the United States, with Kamala Harris making history by being the first female,
Black, and Asian-American Vice President.
66.8%
116
Figure 9 – Source: Schaul, K. et al. (2020, December 8). Voter turnout in 2020 election: U.S. has record turnout. Washington Post.
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