It felt like the entire world was staring at a map of the Keystone State for four days straight. Remember that? The 2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania wasn't just another state tally; it was the finish line. When the dust finally settled on November 7, Joe Biden had flipped the state back into the "Blue Wall," securing a victory by roughly 80,555 votes. That’s a margin of about 1.16%. It’s tiny. It’s the kind of margin that makes political consultants lose sleep and keep drinking coffee well into the morning.
For Donald Trump, Pennsylvania was the one that got away. After his 2016 upset where he won the state by just over 44,000 votes, the GOP saw a path to a repeat. But the math shifted in ways that weren't immediately obvious on election night. If you looked at the screen on Tuesday evening, Trump looked like he was coasting. He had a lead of hundreds of thousands of votes. Then the "Blue Shift" happened.
The Red Mirage and the Mail-In Surge
Honestly, the biggest source of confusion during the 2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania was the "Red Mirage." This wasn't some conspiracy; it was a predictable result of state law. Pennsylvania’s legislature didn't allow election officials to even start opening mail-in ballots until 7:00 AM on Election Day. Because Democrats were much more likely to use mail-in voting during the pandemic, and Republicans preferred to vote in person, the early tallies were skewed heavily toward Trump.
The numbers were staggering. Total turnout hit a record-breaking 76.5% of the voting-eligible population. In the end, Biden pulled in 3,458,229 votes compared to Trump’s 3,377,674. But how he got there is the real story.
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Biden didn't just win because of Philadelphia. In fact, his percentage of the vote in Philly actually dropped slightly compared to Hillary Clinton's 2016 run. The real heavy lifting happened in the "collars"—the suburban counties surrounding the city.
- Montgomery County: Biden widened the gap significantly here.
- Chester County: A place that used to be a GOP stronghold went for Biden by a margin that would have been unthinkable twenty years ago.
- Lackawanna County: Biden’s "hometown" Scranton roots played well, helping him improve on 2016 numbers.
The Legal Chaos and the "Naked Ballot"
You probably heard the term "naked ballot" more times in 2020 than you ever wanted to. Because of a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, mail-in ballots that weren't tucked inside an inner secrecy envelope—the "naked" ones—had to be tossed out. It sounds like a minor technicality, but in an election this close, every technicality is a bomb.
Then came the lawsuits. Rudy Giuliani famously showed up in a Williamsport courtroom to argue that the 2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania was marred by "widespread fraud." But when U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann asked for actual evidence, the legal team didn't have much to offer. Brann eventually dismissed the suit, calling it a "tortured" legal argument.
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"This Court has been presented with strained legal arguments without merit and speculative accusations... unsupported by evidence." — Judge Matthew Brann, November 21, 2020.
There were over 60 lawsuits nationwide, and Pennsylvania was the epicenter for many. The courts consistently found that while there were minor human errors (like any election), there was zero evidence of a systemic effort to flip the results. Even an Associated Press investigation later found that potential fraud cases accounted for only a minuscule fraction of the margin of victory—about 26 possible cases in a state where nearly 7 million people voted.
Why 2020 Still Dictates the Future
The 2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania changed the rules of the game for the foreseeable future. It led to massive debates over Act 77, the law that established no-excuse mail-in voting in the state. Republicans who originally supported it later challenged its constitutionality, though the state Supreme Court ultimately upheld it.
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Kinda crazy to think about, but Pennsylvania is essentially a microcosm of the entire country. You have the urban centers of Philly and Pittsburgh, the rapidly growing suburbs, and the vast rural "T" that remains deeply conservative. The 2020 result showed that the state isn't getting "bluer" or "redder"—it’s just getting more polarized.
Actionable Insights for Pennsylvania Voters
If you're looking at the 2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania as a guide for what’s next, keep these points in mind:
- Check your registration early. The 2020 surge proved that voter rolls are more active than ever. Don't assume you're still "active" if you haven't voted in a few cycles.
- Understand the Secrecy Envelope. If you vote by mail, the "naked ballot" rule still applies. Use both envelopes or your vote won't count.
- Expect a delay. Unless the state law changes to allow "pre-canvassing" (processing ballots before Election Day), Pennsylvania will likely always be one of the last states to call its results in a close race.
- Volunteer at the polls. The 2020 cycle saw a shortage of poll workers due to the pandemic. Being part of the process is the best way to see exactly how secure the system really is.
Pennsylvania remains the "Keystone" for a reason. Its 19 electoral votes (down from 20 in 2020 due to the census) are still the most valuable prize on the map. Understanding what happened in 2020 isn't just about looking back—it's about knowing exactly where the battle lines are drawn for every election to come.