What are battleground or swing states in US presidential elections?

Team Udayavani, Nov 3, 2020, 3:04 PM IST

Several US states are known as battleground or swing states because they’ve a history of swinging back and forth between two main political parties in presidential elections, Republican and Democratic.

A battleground state or a ‘swing state’ refers to any state that can be won by any of the candidates. As votes there are likely to swing, it remains unclear as to which candidate the state’s people are opting for. Thus, the fate of a large number of crucial electoral votes remains unknown until the votes are counted.

Swing states have populations that are almost equally divided politically. Presidential candidates often focus on these states, sometimes skipping the states that have established voting patterns.

According to CNBC, The survey released Monday finds the former vice president holding at least a slim edge in all of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all of which Trump won in 2016.

All six swing states: Biden 50%, Trump 46%

Arizona: Biden 50%, Trump 47%

Florida: Biden 51%, Trump 48%

Michigan: Biden 51%, Trump 44%

North Carolina: Biden 49%, Trump 47%

Pennsylvania: Biden 50%, Trump 46%

Wisconsin: Biden 53%, Trump 45%