The Associated Press projected former Vice President Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election with 290 electoral votes on Saturday, Nov. 7. But as many across America celebrate Biden’s victory, incumbent President Donald Trump and his supporters refuse to accept their loss. This is the first time that a modern-day president has not conceded after an election.
Many are concerned about Trump’s refusal to concede and believe that it is an important part of the election process.
“It signals to [Americans] and specifically [Trump’s] followers that [his] time as leader is done and it’s [Biden’s] time to be [the] leader of the country,” said Karys Tipton, a senior political science and music major. “His supporters are refusing to listen to the results of the election. They are doubting our democratic process.”
Along with signaling to the American people that they should listen to the president-elect, conceding is fundamental part of American democracy.
“It’s what our country’s based off of. That’s how our democracy runs,” said Alice McKay, a freshman drama major. “His refusal to concede leans almost toward … a dictatorship.”
Although conceding after an election is the traditional protocol for a sitting president, there is no Constitutional requirement for Trump to do so.
“Constitutionally, he doesn’t have to concede,” said Leslie Feldman, a professor of political science, “but he does have to leave the White House, otherwise he’s a squatter.”
Trump is making history by refusing to concede. The president’s primary reason for refusing to accept the election results is voter fraud from mail-in ballots. However, election officials have said that these claims lack evidence.
“It’s a little concerning that people so high up in the country are questioning the legitimacy of the election,” McKay said.
Some people are concerned that America is going to see a repeat of the 2000 presidential election, where a recount in Florida reversed the results in the presidential race between former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Al Gore.
“If you look back at the situation between George Bush and Al Gore, it was down to less than 600 votes … [in this case] Biden is ahead by thousands of votes,” Tipton said. “He’s still going to win. There’s no reversing this unless you take away people’s democratic right to vote.”
Although Trump’s claims of voter fraud may be false, his refusal to acknowledge Biden as the president-elect is halting the transition process. Typically, Biden would have been given transition intel and funds.
“If [Biden] doesn’t get the intel in the next couple of weeks, [some GOP senators] are going to step in and make sure that he does get it.” Tipton predicted.
Republican Sens. James Lankford and Josh Hawley said they believe Biden should be receiving intelligence briefings and that they will pressure the Trump administration to do so, according to an article in The Associated Press.
Although the next few months seem uncertain, many hope that once Biden is inaugurated, things will calm down.
“I think everything will quiet down,” Feldman said. “It was a love affair with Donald Trump, but … it’s over.”
Other people believe the opposite will happen.
“I think our country is so polarized right now,” McKay said. “[T]here’s going to be so much conflict.”
In the next few months, many Hofstra students hope that the country can move past this juxtaposition and become united.
“We’re not two different countries. We’re not two different sides. We should be united,” said Iman Elshazly, a sophomore psychology major. “We’re basically going to be split from the inside out if we’re not.”
