Battleground State
A competitive state where both major-party candidates actively campaign because the outcome is uncertain; used interchangeably with swing state.
Battleground state is a term used by campaigns, media, and analysts to describe states that are genuinely competitive in a given election cycle. It is largely synonymous with swing state, though battleground sometimes specifically refers to states that are the focus of active campaign investment in that particular race.
Campaigns typically deploy most of their resources - staff, ads, and candidate time - to battleground states because winning or losing them directly determines the path to 270 electoral votes.
A state can move in or out of battleground status between elections based on shifts in voter registration, population growth, or changes in the national political environment.
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A state where neither major party has a consistent advantage, making it highly competitive and influential in presidential elections.
The system of 538 electors who formally elect the US president; a candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win.
The majority of 538 total electoral votes a presidential candidate must reach to be elected president.