The 2024 general election is a few days away, and mid-Atlantic region has become a battleground of its own, as presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump crisscross Pennsylvania in an effort to shore up votes and energize their respective bases.
Pennsylvania is one of seven swing — or battleground — states in this year’s election. Here’s what a swing state is, and why both Harris and Trump are concentrating efforts in the Keystone State and the six other battleground states.
What is a swing state?
The widely-accepted definition of a swing state is one where voters’ support could realistically go to either the Democratic or Republican candidate.
These states often have close vote margins which could theoretically tilt the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
What are the swing states in the 2024 presidential election?
Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are considered the swing states in the 2024 general election.
Though 50 states will vote, these seven battlegrounds likely will determine whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is the next president of the United States.
What is the electoral college, and how many votes does each swing state have?
The Electoral College is a presidential voting process established in the Constitution. The founding fathers created this system as a compromise between the popular vote, directly among citizens, and a congressional vote.
There are 538 total electoral votes given to each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. based on how many members of Congress it has in Washington. Candidates need 270 votes to win.
Here’s how many electoral college votes each swing state has:
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Arizona: 11
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Georgia: 16
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Michigan: 15
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Nevada: 6
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North Carolina: 16
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Pennsylvania: 19
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Wisconsin: 10
Most current projections have Harris collecting 226 electoral votes from non-swing states and Trump at 219, with 93 votes in the swing states up for grabs.
If that holds on Election Night, Harris would need to collect 44 votes from swing states and Trump would need 51 in order to win the White House.
If Harris takes Pennsylvania’s 19 votes — the most of any swing state — she’s likely locked Trump out of the White House, but if Trump takes the Keystone state early or it’s undecided for a while, Trump’s chances of a second term increase.
Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.
This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: What is a swing state? Here are the seven battleground states
