The focus on swing states highlights the strategic campaigning that candidates undertake, often neglecting states where they are either significantly ahead or behind.
The bakery's cookie prediction in Pennsylvania serves as a quirky reflection of local sentiment, albeit not a scientifically valid poll.
As the election results come in, it is expected that the swing states will play a crucial role in determining the winner, with states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Michigan being particularly pivotal.
Given the current political climate and the high stakes of the election, voter turnout is likely to be exceptionally high, which could influence the final outcome significantly.
As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, polls indicate a close race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. The outcome will largely depend on the swing states, where both candidates have focused their campaigns intensely due to the unique electoral system in the United States. In this system, the winner is determined not by the direct popular vote but by the Electoral College, which consists of 538 electors. A candidate must secure at least 270 electoral votes to win the presidency, and in most states, the candidate who receives the majority of the popular vote is awarded all of that state's electoral votes, a process known as winner-take-all. This system has led to instances where candidates can win the presidency without winning the popular vote, as seen in the elections of 2000, 2016, and the recent 2020 election.
- The Electoral College's structure means that smaller states have a disproportionately higher influence relative to their population size, which has raised concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the electoral process. The criticism of this system has been ongoing for over two centuries, with calls for reform or abolition gaining traction after each election cycle where the popular vote winner did not secure the presidency.
