Unlike California, which always goes blue or Texas, which is known as a red state, swing states could go either way -- they’re purple - and because of this, they’re the states to watch for on election night, as they usually determine the outcome of elections.
The swing states this election cycle are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, and North Carolina.
There are a few critical things to understand about this:
The presidential election is determined by the electoral college, not the popular vote. Each state in the US is given a number of electoral votes based on population, and most states use a winner-takes all approach to awarding these electoral votes. So a state like Pensylvannia, which has the most electoral votes up for grabs of any of the swing states, could significantly sway the election.
Swing state races usually have a small margin of victory, so the results are often contested.
Because swing states are so important, candidates focus a lot of their campaign efforts there.That means lots of rallies, political advertising, public appearance and stops to kiss babies.
Swing states can also have a huge influence on national policy. Candidates often tailor their messaging and platform to the wants and the needs of voters in swing states – which ends up being more moderate – to appeal to those voters.
There’s a lot more to unpack about the upcoming election and I’ve partnered with Zivvy News to answer your questions. Text the number in the description below and follow for more real talk on US politics.
Ask Ashlyn is partnering with Zivvy News to answer your election questions leading up to November 5! Text "ASK" to (858) 477-3797 or sign up here for two weeks free. Ask all your last minute questions about the ballot and get some trusted analysis (without the overwhelm) as votes start coming in next week. You can also leave questions here in the comments.
Share this post