The election is rapidly approaching, with several polls and political analysts sharing their predictions for who will get each state’s electoral votes. But what about areas where it’s little more … divided or unclear?
In the final weeks of their campaigns, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have made many appearances within the same seven states.
What’s so special about these states? They are the confirmed swing states for this election, seen as key components in winning a presidential election. Here’s why they are so important and why Florida isn’t on the list.
What are swing states? Why are they important?
Swing states, also referred to as battleground or purple states, is defined officially as one that’s “considered to play a key role in the outcome of presidential elections” and where candidates of both the Democratic and Republican parties “have similar levels of support.”
These states are unpredictable in presidential elections, which makes them critical spots for candidates during their campaigns. They are considered “must-wins” by both mainstream political parties to secure the 270 election votes required for the presidency.
Is Florida considered a swing state for the 2024 election?
Florida is not a swing state for the upcoming general election.
In a report from USA TODAY, it was noted that while big GOP victories in Florida within past two election cycles had attracted attention nationwide, the state has been trending red for decades. The previously more politically “purple” state has drifted more red with Donald Trump’s presidency in 2016.
There once was a time when the state was considered a bigger deal in deciding the outcome of the elections, according to 270 To Win. They highlight the 2000 presidential election, where it took a month before George W. Bush was declared the victor by just 537 votes.
“Influxes of Cubans, retirees, service workers to the theme park economy booming near Orlando and other groups resulted in a state much more diversified – both economically and politically – than many of its southern brethren. As a result, it went through a period where it was seen as the ultimate battleground state, its population a microcosm of the country as a whole.”
Which states are considered swing states for the upcoming General Election?
Several experts and outlets, such as Vox, U.S. News & World Report and the Washington Post, have determined that these seven states are ones to watch for November’s election:
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Arizona – 11 Electoral Votes
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Georgia – 16 Electoral Votes
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Michigan – 15 Electoral Votes
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Nevada – 6 Electoral Votes
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North Carolina – 16 Electoral Votes
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Pennsylvania – 19 Electoral Votes
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Wisconsin – 10 Electoral Votes
All together, this leaves 93 electoral votes up for grabs.
When is the General Election 2024? See important Florida deadlines ahead of election
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Vote-by-mail request deadline: Oct. 24
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Early voting period for general election: Oct. 25-Nov. 2.
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General election: Nov. 5
Contributing: Zac Anderson, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida isn’t an election swing state in 2024. See which states are
