As the election approaches, candidates from the two main political parties the Democrats and the Republicans begin their campaign trails. They spend time and money on their campaigns and meet face to face in televised debates to explain their positions and stance on key issues.
As with any presidential race, there is a lot at stake. The winner of the election will be the one who wins 270 electoral votes. To win those votes, a candidate must get the majority of the votes cast in states across the country. Each state has a certain number of electors (one for each member of the House of Representatives and Senate, plus three for Washington DC) and is awarded them based on their population. There are some suggestions to abolish the Electoral College and instead have the national popular vote determine the U.S. President.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both working hard to convince voters that they’re the best choice for president. They’re focusing on about seven states that could go either way — known as battleground or swing states.
In recent decades, it’s been very difficult for a president to win re-election if they have a lower than 50 percent job approval rating. This is why the approval ratings of both candidates are so important, especially in this close race. The map below shows the current averages of those numbers. Click on a state to see its specific numbers and the current trend lines. The maps don’t shade in until 50% of the estimated votes are in, to mitigate fluctuations in early results.
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