In U.S. elections, where you live matters just as much as who you vote for. The 2024 presidential election is expected to focus on seven key battleground states: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada. These states are crucial because the vote margins will be very close.
As Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump compete for support, voters in these swing states shared their thoughts on the pressure they feel.
Jacob Bowen, 36, from Pennsylvania is a small business owner and a Democrat planning to vote for Harris. He feels nervous about how much influence his state has on the future, saying, “It’s strange knowing that your neighbours can affect what happens in the entire world for the next four years.” He finds political ads annoying, noting they often contain lies.
Andy Jones, 50, also from Pennsylvania, is a retired Marine voting for Trump. He sees his neighbourhood divided between Trump and Harris signs, describing it as a “battle of who can out-sign the other.” He moved back to Pennsylvania and felt the change in support for Trump, now seeing it as a 50-50 chance for either candidate.
Mary Cider, 74, from Wisconsin is an independent voter who supports Harris. She is bombarded with political ads and is concerned about misinformation. She feels that the Trump supporters distort facts and is worried about the impact of the Make America Great Again movement.
Ben Stumpf, 32, from Michigan plans to vote for Harris. He finds the constant political mail overwhelming and feels the weight of being in a swing state is disheartening. He believes that voting should be important in every state, not just the swing ones.
Jonathan Hills, 42, from North Carolina is a new U.S. citizen planning to vote for Trump. He doesn’t understand the excitement around the election and sees both candidates as not significantly changing things. He mentions that political mail has increased since he registered to vote.
Jeff Mears, 67, from Arizona is an independent voter who backed Biden last time and will vote for Harris now. He notices Trump supporters are more visible with their signs and flags, while Harris supporters are less open. He feels nervous but understands he can only vote and hopes for a win for Harris.
Joseph Takacs, 47, from Michigan, lives in a Trump-supportive area and is reluctantly voting for Trump. He feels targeted by campaigns as an independent voter and views himself as just one vote among many.
Stephen Coats, 34, from Georgia, is a teacher and plans to vote for Harris. He feels anxious about the tight race and notices political ads everywhere. He’s excited that Georgia is a battleground state now, feeling that his vote matters more than it used to.
Beca Schumann, 29, from Pennsylvania, works as a legal assistant and plans to vote for Harris. She feels anxious about the division in her state but also a sense of responsibility because Pennsylvania has a lot of electoral votes. She finds it wild how important her state is in these elections.
These voters express anxiety, excitement, and a sense of responsibility as their choices could greatly influence the national outcome. This highlights the importance of swing states in shaping the future of the U.S., a sentiment echoed by many in these communities【BBC】.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqlvxvn42dvo