US election: Biden pulls ahead of Trump in Pennsylvania

WASHINGTON

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden pulled ahead of US President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania Friday morning, bolstered by mail-in ballots.

The change marks the first time Biden has held a lead there since Election Day when Trump was ahead significantly, but the race has yet to be called by The Associated Press.

The former vice president is currently up by almost 6,000 votes as Pennsylvania continues to process mail-in ballots where he has performed far better than the president. About 5% of the vote remains outstanding.

A win in Pennsylvania where 20 Electoral College delegates are at stake would hand Biden the White House.

For months Trump warned voters against casting mail-in ballots, claiming they would be subject to fraud. Those allegations likely fell on deaf ears among Democrats who in state after state comprise the bulk of those who cast ballots via the postal service.

Pennsylvania provides for an automatic recount if the race is separated by a margin of 0.5% or less, or if election officials find irregularities in the results.

The state is the second in which Biden has come from behind to take the lead on Friday morning after he did so in Georgia. He is ahead there by fewer than 1,000 votes, according to the AP.

Biden is currently six Electoral College delegates short of the 270 either candidate needs to claim the White House, meaning if he wins any other states with the exception of Alaska he will cross the pivotal threshold.

Alaska holds only three delegates, and is widely expected to go Trump's way.