US voters head to the polls on Tuesday in a highly unprecedented election poised to make history in the world's most powerful nation, regardless of its outcome. The United States has never had a President convicted of a crime get into office. The country also has never had a female President, let alone a candidate of Asian origins leading the White House.
Republican candidate Donald Trump was convicted of crime earlier this year over his reactions to losing the polls four years ago against President Joe Biden. VP Kamala Harris, who flies the Democratic Party's flag at the Presidential election, seeks to extend the history books by being the first female Vice President of the United States and the first female running for the US Presidency.
How the Voting Works in Brief
The US chooses the presidential election winner based on an Electoral College system rather than a direct popular vote, based on the official US government website, USA.gov. That means the candidate with the most number of national votes may not win.
Each US state has allotted several electoral votes based on its congressional representation. The allocation involves two votes for each state's Senators and additional votes equivalent to the number of congressional districts within that state. The US allotted 538 electoral votes in the Electoral College across its 50 states. That means a candidate requires a majority of 270 to win.
Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming have only three electors, while Florida has 30. Meanwhile, California, the US most populous state, has the highest number of electoral votes with 54. Most states operate on a winner-takes-all system: the candidate with the most votes in a state wins all its electoral votes.
Only in Maine and Nebraska are votes split based on results in individual congressional districts. In these two states, their distribution relies on the popular vote within the state and at the congressional district levels.
Top 7 Swing States
Many US states have a fairly consistent voting pattern – for either the Democrats or Republicans. However, some states, known as "swing" or "battleground" states often have votes unpredictably – and typically determine the election's outcome.
Expectedly, candidates intensify their campaign efforts in these battleground states in the US elections, concentrating on winning their undecided voter population. These widely competitive states include the “Blue Wall” states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, and the Sun Belt states of Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia.
Notably, the list of swing states is far from static. It changes as voting patterns change. For instance, Florida was a battleground state for many years before repeatedly voting for the Republican Party to lose that status. Ohio has a similar situation. Meanwhile, Georgia, which was once reliably pro-Republican Party, is now in play for Democrats.
Here’s more about the 7 most-watched swing states in the 2024 US election.
Pennsylvania
With 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania is widely considered the most pivotal in this election. Here, the Democrats are reportedly working hard to “lose less” in PA’s rural parts, while voters keep harping on issues they care about, heading to the polls, regardless of a candidate’s party.
Only days before the election, both Vice President Harris and former President Trump are storming the state to canvas support. The state was decided by about a percentage point in 2020, and the votes are expected to be close again.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes. Biden won the state in 2020 by only over 20,000 votes, flipping it after Trump narrowly defeated Hillary Clinton in 2016. While campaign organizers expect a close presidential race, the Wisconsin GOP and aligned teams concentrate on building a unified ground game to re-elect former President Donald Trump.
Michigan
Michigan has 15 electoral votes. With a large Arab-American population, the Biden-Harris administration's support for Israel's war in Gaza has fractured Democratic support for Harris in this state. Michigan is also home to some key demographics that both parties are courting in this election – from the largest Black-majority city, Detroit to white voters without a college education.
Georgia
Georgia has 16 electoral votes, in a rapidly diversifying populace. Georgia had the tightest margins of any swing state in 2020, Joe Biden won the Peach State by 11,799 votes, becoming the first Democrat to win Georgia's electoral votes since 1992.
North Carolina
North Carolina has 16 electoral votes. Mark Robinson, the widely controversial gubernatorial candidate, is reportedly complicating the race for Republicans. Political observers had expected only six states to be battleground states for the 2024 US elections. However, after VP Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden as the Republican Party’s flagbearer, polls show a close presidential race in North Carolina.
Arizona
Arizona has 11 electoral votes. Native American voters are expected to swing this battleground state. President Biden only won Arizona in 2020 by about 10,000 votes. Native Americans have traditionally voted for the Dems, and the Harris campaign train is seeking to ensure the pattern continues in 2024.
Nevada
Nevada has 6 electoral votes. A high percentage of voters in Nevada identify as nonpartisan, enshrining the state as one where both parties have much campaigning to do before winning the undecided voter population. Although the number of electoral votes is small, the state could still be impactful.
Final Insight
The top 7 swing states in the US include Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Both the Democrats and Republicans are working hard to ensure the polls in these states swing to their favor – and the rest of the week is poised to show how these battleground states decide their choice of America’s next President.