The U.S. Congress convened in a joint session Wednesday afternoon to formally count the Electoral College votes cast in the 2020 presidential election.

This is the final step in certifying President-elect and Democrat Joe Biden's victory over the incumbent Republican, Donald Trump.

U.S. Vice President and President of the Senate Mike Pence is presiding over Wednesday's congressional session.

Electors in 50 states and the District of Columbia met last month to select Biden as the next president of the United States by awarding him 306 electoral votes versus 232 for Trump.