Biden Trump US Election

Photo: Flickr / Elvert Barnes

US election 2020: What if there’s a tie between Biden and Trump?

While we’re tracking votes, we also need to consider what could happen if there’s a tie in the US election. It’s not impossible after all.

Biden Trump US Election

Photo: Flickr / Elvert Barnes

As the world continues to watch the US election with beady eyes, one also needs to stop and think of developments that could possibly occur should there be a tie between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. We’re not about to rule that out just yet. 

While Trump and Biden had lots to say on Wednesday morning regarding winning the election, both have been rather quiet ever since.

US ELECTIONS BIDEN VS TRUMP: WHAT IF THERE’S A TIE? 

Sky News has listed two ways in which there could be a possible tie in the US election. If Biden wins all the states won by then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016 and gains Michigan, Wisconsin and Arizona, both he and Trump would end up on 269 votes.

“A tie would also arise if Mr Biden wins everything that Mrs Clinton did, plus Michigan and Pennsylvania – after he won one of Nebraska’s five electoral votes,” it said on Wednesday 4 November. 

Let’s say for instance this comes to fruition, what happens then? Who calls the shots? The publication said the newly-elected House of Representatives would choose the president, while the Senate would be tasked with choosing the vice president. A simple majority of states, equivalent to 26 votes or more, would be needed to win.

USA Today said that if the above scenario plays out, it will be the “latest turn in a highly unusual and a very competitive election cycle, one that is often labelled as the ‘most important election’ of our lifetime”.

WILL THERE BE A CLEAR PICTURE ON WEDNESDAY? 

Well, according to reports, we’ll most likely have to wait a bit longer than Wednesday for a result in the US election. Then again, it is 2020 so anything is possible. 

As previously reported by The South African, some key states allow ballots to be sent in late, including Pennsylvania and North Carolina (6 November), and Nevada (10 November). In fact, election officials for the latter states are adamant that they won’t get finished at any point today. 

In total, there are still nine states that still need to tally all their votes. These states are Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 

According to US Politics Polls, Biden has surpassed Barack Obama’s 2008 popular vote total, breaking the record for most votes ever received by a candidate at a US Presidential Election.