Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are locked in a tight race heading into Election Day, with only a few key battleground states determining the outcome. The 2024 election landscape mirrors the one Trump faced in 2020, as he defends his position against Harris’s challenge.
Trump is aiming to reclaim states he won in 2016, when he broke through the Democratic “blue wall” to secure the presidency. On the other hand, Harris is focused on maintaining the states that President Biden secured in the previous election, which would ensure her a comfortable victory in the Electoral College.
In the 2020 election, Biden garnered 81,284,666 votes nationwide, surpassing Trump’s 74,224,319 votes. However, the presidency is ultimately decided by the Electoral College rather than the popular vote. Biden secured 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232, surpassing the 270-vote threshold needed to win the White House.
The Biden campaign successfully built a coalition that helped him regain traditionally Democratic states that Trump had flipped in 2016, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, Biden managed to pick up Arizona and Georgia, solidifying his victory in the Electoral College.
For the upcoming 2024 election, CBS News has identified seven battleground states that will play a crucial role in determining the outcome. These states include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, stands out as the biggest prize of the night, as winning the state would significantly boost either candidate’s chances of reaching the 270-vote threshold.
The Electoral College system allocates votes based on each state’s representation in Congress. Each state is guaranteed at least three votes – one for each senator and one for each representative in the House. This system gives smaller states disproportionate influence in the election, as they receive more electoral votes than they would based solely on their population size. The District of Columbia also receives three votes, despite not having voting members in Congress.
The number of electoral votes for each state is reassigned every ten years based on changes in population. States that experience population growth may gain additional seats, while those with declining populations may lose seats. In the 2024 election, six states gained electoral votes: Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas added to their electoral count. On the other hand, seven states saw a decrease in electoral votes, including California, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
The shifting electoral landscape has a significant impact on the electoral map, influencing the strategies of both Trump and Harris as they vie for victory in the upcoming election. With the battleground states playing a pivotal role in determining the next President of the United States, the race remains too close to call as Election Day approaches.
As the candidates make their final push to secure crucial swing states and appeal to undecided voters, the outcome of the 2024 election hangs in the balance. Trump and Harris are engaged in a fierce battle for the presidency, with the fate of the nation resting on the results from a handful of key states. The American people eagerly await the results of the election, which will shape the country’s future for years to come.
