Explaining the swing states in U.S. election
CBC News
Last Updated: September 21, 2012
Once again, the battle for the White House will come down to a number of so-called swing states, where the electoral votes are still considered up for grabs for either President Barack Obama or Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
With less than two months before the Nov. 6 election, these are some of the states considered in play.
Click on swing states for details.
- Obama
- Romney
- Swing state
What is a swing state?
During U.S. presidential election campaigns, there is much talk about "red" and "blue" states. Red states are ones that, historically, have voted overwhelmingly for the Republican Party, while blue states are typically Democratic. A swing state is one in which neither of the two political parties has enjoyed extensive support. Because they could go either way, swing states can make or break an election, and as a result, are the subject of vigorous campaigning by both parties.