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''See [[early voting]] for an analysis of voting in '''swing states'''.''

''See [[early voting]] for an analysis of voting in '''swing states'''.''

'''Swing states''', also called "battleground states," are [[state]]s in which neither the [[Republican]] nor [[Democratic]] candidate has a clear majority of the voters' support prior to a Presidential election, and therefore could "swing" the presidential election outcome in either direction. These states are where the majority of the campaigning takes place for both parties.  

'''Swing states''', also called "battleground states," are [[state]]s in which neither the [[Republican]] nor [[Democratic]] candidate has a clear majority of the voters' support prior to a Presidential election, and therefore could "swing" the presidential election outcome in either direction. These states are where the majority of the campaigning takes place for both parties. In 2024 the top swing states are expected to be [[Arizona]], [[Georgia]], and [[Wisconsin]].

States that consistently express a preference for either the Democratic or Republican candidate are usually referred to as [[blue state]]s and [[red state]]s, respectively, while swing states are called "[[purple state]]s" in order to highlight their mixed demographic nature.  Hundreds of millions of dollars in negative ads by [[Super PAC]]s are spent almost entirely in swing states, where the presidential election outcome is expected to be decided.

States that consistently express a preference for either the Democratic or Republican candidate are usually referred to as [[blue state]]s and [[red state]]s, respectively, while swing states are called "[[purple state]]s" in order to highlight their mixed demographic nature.  Hundreds of millions of dollars in negative ads by [[Super PAC]]s are spent almost entirely in swing states, where the presidential election outcome is expected to be decided.