Updated at 7:44 p.m. ET
On the day electors around the country voted to reaffirm his victory, President-elect Joe Biden called for Americans to come together in unity and healing, vowing to help pull the nation through the coronavirus pandemic and criticizing the dangerous and false rhetoric of election malfeasance that has been promoted by some Republicans.
He delivered a clear rebuke to President Trump, who continues to unsuccessfully challenge the results. "In America, politicians don't take power — people grant power to them," Biden plans to say.
"The flame of democracy was lit in this nation a long time ago. And we now know nothing — not even a pandemic — or an abuse of power — can extinguish that flame."
Biden called on Americans to "turn the page" and focus on the "urgent work" of controlling the coronavirus pandemic and recovering the economy.
Biden's remarks came as the typically procedural electoral college vote marked one of the final ministerial steps in the Democrat's White House victory against Trump.
Trump, the outgoing Republican nominee, has yet to acknowledge his defeat in the race and has for weeks waged longshot challenges to overturn Biden's overwhelming victory in both the popular and electoral vote.
Biden won the popular vote — the number of ballots Americans cast in favor of one candidate or another — by a tally of nearly seven million. He won the electoral vote, which ultimately determines the White House victor, by amassing 306 of the requisite 270 electoral votes.
On Monday, the president-elect's win was sealed when electors across the country cast their votes for the Democrat.
Biden'svictory was fueled in large part by Americans' response to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, the U.S. hit a record of 300,000 deaths from COVID-19 — a startling death toll in a pandemic that has divided the nation on political terms.
"As I said through this campaign, I will be a president for all Americans," Biden said, "I will work just as hard for those of you who didn't vote for me, as I will for those who did."
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