© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Which states are swing states? Here are the results to watch this year

Voters wait in line to vote at the Lowrey School on Tuesday in Dearborn, Mich.
Gregory Shamus
/
Getty Images
Voters wait in line to vote at the Lowrey School on Tuesday in Dearborn, Mich.

Updated November 05, 2024 at 20:45 PM ET

This piece originally appeared as part of NPR's live coverage of the 2024 election. For more election coverage from the NPR Network head to our live updates page.

As Americans cast their ballots in this historic election, some votes — as usual — matter more than others.

This election, there are seven states widely seen as competitive: the "Blue Wall" states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and the Sun Belt states of Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia.

The U.S. doesn't elect presidents by popular vote, but rather through the unique electoral college. In the vast majority of states, that means the winner of a state gets all that state's electors, regardless of the margin of their win.

In practice, that means that voters in these swing states — states where the race between the candidates is very close, and could be swayed one way or another — have disproportional impact on the national results.

Stickers sit on a table at a polling location on November 8, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Megan Varner / Getty Images
/
Getty Images
Stickers sit on a table at a polling location on November 8, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.

The list of swing states is far from static: It changes as voting patterns shift. Florida, for instance, was a key swing state for many years, but has trended increasingly Republican and has lost that status. The same is true for Ohio. Meanwhile Georgia was once reliably red, but is now in play for Democrats.

Read more about the 7 most-watched swing states this year:

Copyright 2024 NPR

Camila Flamiano Domonoske covers cars, energy and the future of mobility for NPR's Business Desk.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content