US election nears climax as Trump, Harris battle for swing states

The atmosphere surrounding the U.S. presidential election has reached a thrilling stage, with the world’s attention fixed on Washington. As the November 5 election approaches, Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald Trump are pulling out all the stops to motivate voters.

So far, 59 million voters have already cast their ballots through early mail voting, while an additional 186 million are expected to vote tomorrow. However, it’s important to note that the winner of the U.S. presidency is not determined by the popular vote but rather by the Electoral College. Each state’s number of electoral votes depends on its population, and to secure the presidency, Harris or Trump will need at least 270 out of 538 electoral votes.

Public opinion polls suggest that the leading candidate in 43 states is relatively predictable, with both Harris and Trump likely securing around 200 electoral votes in these states if there are no major surprises. However, the outcome of the election will hinge on the results in seven crucial swing states: Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Nevada. Both Harris and Trump have focused their campaigns heavily on these battleground states.

Among these swing states, Pennsylvania stands out as the most critical, often referred to as the "corridor" to the Oval Office because of its substantial number of electoral votes.

Winning Pennsylvania can be pivotal in reaching the 270-vote threshold. While Michigan and Wisconsin have traditionally leaned Democratic, Republicans won these states in 2016, only for Biden to reclaim them in 2020. Currently, Harris holds an edge in Michigan and Wisconsin, but Trump leads in Pennsylvania. Just yesterday, Trump told supporters in Pennsylvania that Kamala Harris would be "incompetent" and "a complete disaster" for the United States.

Meanwhile, Harris held a rally in Washington at the same location where Trump, in January 2021, incited his supporters to storm the Capitol. She warned that if Trump wins, he will imprison his opponents.

According to election poll trackers, Harris holds a narrow lead of 1.4 percent over Trump as of yesterday, with 48.1 percent support compared to Trump’s 46.7 percent. However, it’s worth recalling that in 2016, Hillary Clinton also led Trump in the polls, but the final results defied expectations.

As November 5 approaches, it remains uncertain whether the United States will elect its first female president or witness Donald Trump’s return to office.