The election is over, and in an incredible turn of events, Donald Trump has won each of the seven swing states in America — leading to his win in the presidential race.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the 2024 Presidential Election opened. Following former President Donald Trump’s and vice president Kamala Harris’ presidential campaigns, it was time for states to count up their citizens’ votes and declare the president for the next 4 years following the current president, Joe Biden.
The Electoral College holds 538 electoral votes in total. The number of votes each state receives is proportional to its size, so each state is worth a specific number of electoral votes. When a state has finished reporting a majority of their votes (95 to 99%), the Associated Press “calls the race” within that state. The number of electoral votes that state is given will be counted for the presidential candidate who has won that state. To be declared the president of the United States, the presidential candidate must accumulate at least 270 electoral votes in total.
As Election Day was getting closer, the predictions for president-elect were neck and neck. Either candidate had the potential to win, and the seven swing states, North Carolina, Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona and Nevada, were imperative for determining the outcome of the election.
North Carolina
Prior to the election, the average of 16 different presidential election polls in North Carolina had Harris at 47.3% and Trump at 48.6%, a 0.9% lead for Trump according to the website 270 To Win.
At 8:18 p.m. PST, North Carolina called a win for Trump. This made it the first swing state of the seven that were up for contention, gaining him 16 electoral votes. According to the Associated Press, 51.1% of the votes went to Trump and 47.7% went to Harris — a 3.4% lead.
Michigan
The average of 23 presidential election polls in Michigan had Harris winning over Trump at 48.6%, giving her a 1.8% lead according to 270toWin.
By 7:35 p.m. PST, Michigan reportedly had Harris and Trump tied, with a slight favor towards Trump. Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were also reported with Trump in the lead, according to the Associated Press.
9:54 p.m. — Michigan called a win for Trump. It was the opposite of what the polls had predicted prior to the election, gaining him 15 Electoral College votes. He won the state with 49.8% in favor of him and 48.3% in favor of Harris, a 1.5% lead for Trump.
Georgia
Four minutes later, at 9:58 p.m. PST, Georgia called another win for Trump, giving him another 16 electoral votes.
Prior to the election, the average of 15 presidential election polls in Georgia placed Harris at 47.5% and Trump at 48.7%, a 1.2% lead for Trump according to 270toWin.
Georgia reportedly ended up with 50.7% of its votes for Trump and 48.5% for Harris, a 2.2% lead for Trump.
Pennsylvania
The average of 25 presidential election polls in Pennsylvania taken prior to the election had Harris and Trump tied at 48.2%.
On Tuesday at 5:38 p.m., Harris held an early lead with 11% of the reported votes. At the time it was reported as 70.6% for Harris and 28.5% for Trump. The majority of the early votes counted disproportionally came from Philadelphia County and Allegheny County.
At 5:55 p.m., bomb threats were called in parts of the state. Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania reportedly said that the threats were hoaxes that posed no danger to the public, or to the election, according to the Associated Press.
At 10:35 p.m., voting wrapped up in Michigan, slightly leaning toward Trump. He was up in Wisconsin and reportedly won Pennsylvania with 57% of the votes, 1.9% higher than Harris.
By 11:24 p.m., Pennsylvania was called for a Trump win with 50.5% of the votes as opposed to Harris’ 48.6%, gaining him 19 electoral votes. At 267 electoral votes, he only needed three to be declared winner of the presidential race.
Wisconsin
Prior to the election, the average of seventeen presidential election polls in Wisconsin had Harris with 48.8% of the votes over Trump’s 47.7%, a 1.1% lead for Harris.
On Wednesday, 2:34 a.m. PST, Wisconsin was called for Trump with him receiving 49.7% of the votes, giving him 10 electoral votes. Wisconsin pushed him over the 270 threshold, making Trump the winner of the 2024 presidential election and making him the 47th president of the United States of America.
Coincidentally, Harris acquired 48.8% of the votes in the state — the exact same percentage of the 17 election polls in Wisconsin averaged.
Arizona and Nevada
The average of 17 presidential election polls in Arizona had Trump with 48.5% of the votes over Harris with 46.8%, a 1.7% lead for Trump. The average of 13 presidential election polls in Nevada had Trump winning with 48.2% and Kamala with 47.6%, a 0.6% lead for Trump.
As of the time of publication, Arizona and Nevada have not yet been called. However, Trump leads both states — 66% of the votes in Arizona report 52% in favor of him, and 87% of the votes in Nevada report 51.5% in favor of Trump.
Kamala currently has 47.1% of the votes in Arizona and 46.7% in Nevada.
Out of each of the swing states, there are two common denominators. They all voted for Trump, and the biggest issue that decided the 2024 election in all of them according to AP VoteCast was the economy.
Top photo: The election was expected to be decided by the swing states — and Donald Trump won all of them. (Photo courtesy of Envato Elements)
James Sevilla is the Web Editor and Production Editor for The Express. Follow him on X, formally Twitter, @JamesTSev.
