Swing State
A state where neither major party has a consistent advantage, making it highly competitive and influential in presidential elections.
A swing state - also called a battleground state - is one where the margin of victory in recent presidential elections has been close enough that either major party could win in any given cycle.
Because most states reliably vote for one party, campaigns concentrate their advertising, field offices, and candidate visits in swing states where the outcome is genuinely uncertain.
Which states qualify as swing states shifts over time as demographics, economic conditions, and party coalitions evolve. A state considered safe for one party in one decade may become competitive in the next.
Example
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada have all been closely contested in recent presidential cycles.
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A competitive state where both major-party candidates actively campaign because the outcome is uncertain; used interchangeably with swing state.
The system of 538 electors who formally elect the US president; a candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win.
A vote cast by an Electoral College elector toward electing the president; each state's electors equal its House seats plus two Senate seats.