What are swing states, and why are they critical? What to know in 500 words
Al Jazeera
A handful of US states play an outsized role in deciding presidential elections. Which are analysts watching this year?
They loom large in any coverage of the United States presidential election: the coveted “swing states”.
Upon the rocky shoals of a small number of fiercely contested states, the dreams of many aspiring national figures have been dashed and splintered.
As their name implies, swing states — also known as battleground states — have the potential to sway the outcome of a national election.
This year looks no different, with Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump locked in a tight battle in a number of must-win states.
But what is a swing state? And why do they play such an outsized role in presidential races? We answer these questions and more in a brief explainer.
