Latest US elections: Harris and Trump secure first official election result - as election day begins for millions of Americans

You’ll have heard the term “swing states” a lot during this election season, but let’s take a look at what and where exactly they are so you can get the full picture.

In short, these are states that have a disproportionate influence on the presidential election because they alternate between Republican and Democratic voting.

Millions of dollars have been poured into campaigns in these areas, underscoring that winning the council’s additional votes is crucial.

This year the critical states are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

This is what the elections currently look like in those states…

Below we take a closer look at each – or you can watch our video explainer…

Arizona – 11 electoral votes

This was the state that gave Joe Biden the presidency in 2020, after he supported the Democrats for the first time since the 1990s.

It is also the place at the center of the country’s immigration debate because of its long border with Mexico.

Immigration is considered one of the most important issues for voters.

Donald Trump has said he will carry out the “largest deportation operation” in history if elected.

Kamala Harris has said she will renew her efforts for comprehensive border legislation that would tighten migration, and has pledged to “enforce our laws” against border crossings.

Georgia – 16 electoral votes

Democrats flipped Georgia in 2020, with the state’s large African American population playing a key role in their victory.

Georgia’s Fulton County is also the area where alleged election interference took place, leading to one of four criminal charges against Trump.

Gun laws could be a major issue here after a school shooting earlier this year in which a 14-year-old boy killed four people and injured nine with an assault rifle.

After the shooting, Ms. Harris said, “We must end this epidemic of gun violence.”

Throughout her career, she has been an advocate for reinstating an assault weapons ban.

Trump has promised to firmly protect gun rights if he is re-elected.

North Carolina – 16 electoral votes

Like Georgia, North Carolina was a reliably red state.

In the past fifty years, Democrats have won here only twice: in 1976 with Jimmy Carter and in 2008 with Barack Obama.

Despite this, it is classified as a swing state because Republicans saw only small margins of victory in recent elections.

Data also shows that between 2011 and 2021, many newcomers to North Carolina came from the heavily Democratic states of California, New York and New England. Black, Latino and multiracial people also make up 90% of new North Carolina residents — groups that traditionally tend to lean left.

However, the majority of the state’s population is white — and polls show some are concerned about immigration, which could further Trump’s campaign’s anti-immigration sentiment.

Michigan – 15 electoral votes

In the last two elections, Michigan was the state that picked the winning presidential candidate.

A key issue here has been current President Joe Biden’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza and the broader crisis in the Middle East.

Activists in the state have called on the government to stop its military aid to the country.

Mr Trump has emphasized his support for Israel, saying during a presidential debate in June that the US should allow the country to “finish the job” in Gaza.

Ms Harris also reaffirmed her “unwavering commitment to Israel” during a meeting with the country’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

During the Democratic National Convention, she also drew attention to the “devastating” civilian deaths in Gaza.

Nevada – 6 electoral votes

Both candidates have done their best to win over Latino voters here.

Home to Las Vegas, it is one of the US regions hit hard financially by COVID.

The economy, taxes and cost of living are likely to be important issues for voters.

Trump’s campaign website states that his vision for the American economy is “lower taxes, bigger paychecks and more jobs for American workers.”

Ms. Harris has promised tax cuts for small businesses in her economic policy, as well as an increase in the corporate tax rate and higher taxes for those earning $1 million or more.

Pennsylvania – 19 electoral votes

Pennsylvania made headlines in July after Trump survived an assassination attempt while holding a rally there.

Like Nevada, the economy is a top issue in the Keystone State, with grocery prices rising faster than anywhere else in the US.

It is also the most important of the swing states – given that it is worth the most votes in the Electoral College.

Wisconsin – 10 electoral votes

Before independent candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr. withdrew from the race, polls suggested he could prove a problem for Mr. Trump and Ms. Harris in Wisconsin.

Some have suggested this might be the state where third-party candidates can make a big difference, with Democrats battling — unsuccessfully — to take the Green Party’s Jill Stein off the ballot.

They have argued that Ms. Stein failed to comply with the state’s election laws, and have also filed a complaint against independent candidate Cornel West.

The state has chosen the winner of the last two elections, and Trump describes this as “very important.”

“If we win Wisconsin, we win the whole thing,” he said previously.

Ms. Harris has gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and took the stage to celebrate her official nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate.

The economy and abortion rights are both important issues for voters.