Battleground states in US politics are where the race between Republican and Democrat candidates for president is close. The popular vote is less important than the individual count of states, making these states critical. Battleground states are identified through political polls and campaigns target them with media purchases, direct mail, staffing, and personal visits.
In US politics, a battleground state is one in which the political race between a Republican and a Democrat, usually candidates for president, is extremely close. Due to the way presidential elections are conducted in the United States, the popular vote is not as important as the individual count of states. This allows campaigns to pursue a state-by-state strategy in order to win an election, which makes those states where the race is close very important.
Traditionally, states that voted for Republicans were marked in red, and states that voted for Democrats were marked in blue. A battlefield state is often referred to as a purple state: a blend of red and blue.
Also, with the state’s emphasis on presidential elections, every state where there are voters is strictly divided between candidates is critical. Each state receives a certain number of votes in the electoral college, based on its population. It takes 270 electoral votes to win a presidential election. Due to the fact that most states devote all of their electoral votes to the winning candidate, no matter how close the vote is, any state that looks like it could go either way has the ability to make a difference in an election that is extremely nearby.
Determining whether a state is a battleground state is usually done through political polls. This poll will show, in general terms, how competitive a potential state can be between two candidates. If a state is within the margin of error in polls, or if it has demonstrated wide swings among candidates, then it can be declared a battleground.
This designation is more beneficial to the media and the general public than campaigns. Each campaign knows what it needs to be successful and will put together a strategy based on the states the campaign believes it can win. This will be determined through past history, geographical considerations and your internal poll numbers. Thus, campaigns will have already identified those states identified as battlegrounds.
The campaigns will target all states of the battlefield through a number of different strategies. First, media purchases, such as television, radio, and newspaper ads, will be an important part of any plan. Direct mail and campaign staffing will also be centered on those states. Additionally, each candidate will likely make more personal visits to the state in an effort to gain free media coverage and reach as many constituents on a personal level as possible.
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