Despite Trump’s efforts, Electoral College certifies Biden’s victory

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• Judy Woodruff:

  Our second major story tonight, the determining vote on who will be the next president is in, despite efforts by the sitting president to undermine the results.

  Today, the Electoral College members had their say.

  Lisa Desjardins reports.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Today, in historic state capitals, like in Atlanta…

• Woman:

  Raise your right hand.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  … and in small auditoriums, like this one in Arizona, the unique gears of U.S. democracy moved with determination, as the Electoral College cast a majority of votes for president-elect Joe Biden.

• Woman:

  The electors have unanimously cast 16 votes for Joseph R. Biden.

  (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

• Man:

  Twenty votes for the Honorable Joseph R. Biden for president of the United States and 20 votes for the Honorable Kamala D. Harris for vice president of the United States.

  (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

• Man:

  Please hold up only your ballot.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  It was unlike any vote the College and country had seen before, with some electors, like in Nevada, meeting virtually, and others imposing social distancing and COVID tests.

  President Trump too received a blanket of state electors.

• Man:

  All 38 votes for President Donald J. Trump for president of the United States of America.

  (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

• Man:

  The electors have cast 18 votes for President Donald J. Trump for president.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  And in a few Biden states, Republican lawmakers held essentially mock ceremonies, listing electors who would have voted for Trump.

  But hour by hour ticked out the undeniable metronome for votes for Mr. Biden, locking in a majority. With it came reflection, sometimes hopeful.

• Georgia’s Stacey Abrams:

• Stacey Abrams:

  This is not a moment of partisanship. This is a moment of patriotism, because we came together to do something that has been done time and again immemorial for more than 200 years.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  Sometimes more pragmatic, like Arizona's Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.

• Katie Hobbs :

  It is evident that this is not the end of the discussion about the 2020 election, nor how we conduct elections going forward. This is likely the beginning of a lengthy debate about how to reclaim faith in our democratic institutions.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  In Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers presided over the electors meeting there shortly after the state's highest court rejected a Trump lawsuit that had sought to disqualify more than 200,000 votes that were cast.

  But the headline today was not the court battle. It was the arcane electoral process.

  Rebecca Green teaches election law at the College of William & Mary.

• Rebecca Green:

  Usually, the Electoral College meeting is a sleepy event. This year is unprecedented, in that we have a presidential candidate who has refused to concede. And that has kind of complicated the post-election period.

• Protester:

  You cannot legally certify this election.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  That attention sparked some small protests, like this one in Michigan, as well as threats of violence that led police to escort electors into the state capitol there.

• Robin Smith:

  I second the nomination of Joe Biden for the office of the president of the United States.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  That includes elector Robin Smith, who spoke to the "NewsHour" before casting her vote.

• Robin Smith:

  It has been a challenge for us because we have had e-mails that will come that will be harassing. It has made it really uncomfortable, where this should be an exciting time.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  This as President Trump on Saturday kept up his drumbeat of denying the results.

• President Donald Trump:

  No, it's not over. We keep going. And we're going to continue to go forward. We have numerous local cases.

• Lisa Desjardins:

  The same day, Trump supporters marched in Washington, D.C., a protest that was largely peaceful, but erupted into violence at night.

  At two historic Black churches, members of the crowd tore down and burned Black Lives Matter banners.

  In a statement, the pastor of one of those churches, Asbury United Methodist, said: "For me, it was reminiscent of cross burnings."

  The sharp divide continues, but the Electoral College is moving on. The 538 elector votes now go to Washington, D.C., where Congress will count them January 6.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Lisa Desjardins.