Thank you for contacting me regarding the 2020 Presidential Election. It is good to hear from you and I appreciate the opportunity to engage with you. The U.S. presidential election was held on November 3, 2020. With historic turnout across the board, it is clear that the American people were fully engaged in this election. The strong turnout for both candidates and both parties is a healthy sign for our democracy. Along with more than 71 million Americans, and a majority of Ohio voters, I supported President Trump. Right now, former Vice President Biden is leading in enough states to win the presidency, but there are still votes being counted. In this close election, President Trump has every right to insist that all legally cast ballots are counted. He also has the right to appropriate recounts and the right to go to court to resolve any questions about irregularities. Allowing a fair and transparent process at this juncture is important to providing Americans more assurances of the integrity of the election and helping the country heal after a contentious campaign. Under our Constitution, state legislatures set the rules and states administer our elections. We should respect that process and ensure that all ballots cast in accordance with state laws are counted. There is a timeline set out in the Constitution and federal law for choosing electors through final certification of the results, as well as contingencies that may occur along the way. We are near the beginning of that process. The law gives governors until December 14 to provide Certificates of Ascertainment of the vote to the Archivist of the United States listing the names of electors and the number of votes received in the election, as well as names of losing candidates and their votes. I also want to commend and congratulate Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the county boards of elections, and the more than 50,000 Ohio poll workers for conducting a safe, secure, and transparent election in Ohio. It was not easy in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and I am grateful for their efforts. Our country faces serious challenges, from the public health and economic crises brought on by COVID-19, to an epidemic of drug addiction, to our growing national security threats. To solve these problems, we need to come together and rise above the dysfunction in Washington. I know if we work together we can deliver results and make a real difference in the lives of Ohioans and all Americans. Thank you again for contacting me. It is an honor to represent you and the great state of Ohio in the United States Senate. Please visit www.portman.senate.gov for more information. Sincerely, Rob Portman U.S. Senator