US Elections 2024: Swing States - All About It!

The final culmination of the 2024 US Presidential Election is very likely to go to the wire and into the seven battleground states alone. Such states do not have any assured allegiance of any party and are swing states whose preference could always change at any moment- Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada.

Importance of Swing States

Under the Electoral College system, every state votes on a winner-takes-all basis. That means that the candidate who wins the most in a given state gains all the electoral votes that that state will produce for the said election. To win an election for the presidency, at least 270 out of 538 electoral votes is necessary. Those states that can swing either way and whose electoral votes would make or break a candidate are important.

The Seven Swing States

Pennsylvania (19 votes): Known in some circles as the "keystone state," Pennsylvania went Democratic six elections running before it swung to Trump in 2016. Its rural counties remain reliably Republican but urban Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are Democratic strongholds.

Georgia (16 electoral votes): A Republican bastion for decades, Georgia shifted to the Democratic column this time with a narrow margin that separated Biden and Trump. As the state is experiencing an increase in diversity and urbanization, its voting pattern is always changing.

North Carolina (16 electoral votes): One of the southern states whose voting record has been oscillating, the state has voted Republican since 1968. The state is divided into urban areas that have been very Democratic-friendly and rural areas that are strongly Republican-friendly.

Michigan (15 votes): Once comfortably Democratic, Michigan went to Trump in 2016. Its large Arab American community is worried about Washington's policy in the Middle East.

Arizona (11 votes): Arizona has voted for Republican candidates on all but two occasions since 1952. Immigration is a huge factor, and its growing nonwhite citizenry is trending Democrat.

Wisconsin (10 votes): Wisconsin has swung both ways between Democrats and Republicans since the Great Depression. The dairy industry and the German-American influence were major contributors to its electoral pattern.

Nevada (6 votes): Nevada has also become a swing state, wherein diversity and urbanization have impacted in this state.

Campaign Strategies

Both are campaigning in swing states, with Trump visiting each state multiple times and Harris opting to hold rallies in each state simultaneously. The candidates are also speaking on significant issues in each state: healthcare in Georgia and the economy in Michigan ².

Polling Averages

The latest polling averages show that Harris and Trump are running neck to neck in these swing states. Harris leads Trump by a 2.1 percentage difference in Pennsylvania, while the latter leads Harris by a 1.5 point difference in Georgia.

The seven swing states are to determine the winner of the 2024 presidential election. With their electoral votes, either candidate can take the presidency. Near election day, the focus will be on the crucial battlegrounds as the candidates will do everything possible to win the hearts of these voters.

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