US Presidential Election: Fierce Race in Battleground States

Georgia is one of the most closely watched battleground states in this year's US presidential election, and there are still other unexpected variables that could impact the vote before the official election day on November 5.

Voters cast early ballots in Georgia (USA) on October 15 - Photo: AFP

This year's US presidential election was full of surprises, such as the conviction and attempted assassination of Republican candidate Donald Trump, or the sudden withdrawal of incumbent President Joe Biden and handing over the responsibility to his deputy Kamala Harris. However, there are still unpredictable variables ahead, the latest of which is that the number of early voters reached a record high in the battleground state of Georgia on October 15 (local time).

Record in battleground state Georgia

On the first day of early voting, Georgia recorded 328,000 voters who cast ballots in person or by mail - more than double the record 136,000 in 2020. CNN quoted some voters as saying that the voting process went more smoothly. "Last time, the lines were out the door and there seemed to be only three workers working. But this time it was easier," said voter Corine Canada. Experts say some new Georgia laws tightening regulations for mail-in voting and limiting drop boxes could push more people to vote in person. The highlight in Georgia is the legal battle right before the election. On October 15, Judge Robert McBurney of Fulton County Superior Court temporarily stopped a rule that required election workers to count ballots by hand, criticizing Republican-led state election officials for introducing the rule so close to the election. McBurney is also considering legislation that would require an investigation before certifying the election results, which Democrats fear would cause chaos and delay the outcome. According to FiveThirtyEight, a candidate who wins Georgia will have 16 electoral votes in the state, which would give them a better chance of winning the election overall. In recent Georgia races, high turnout has been a good sign for Democrats. In 2020, Biden became the first Democratic candidate since Bill Clinton in 1992 to win the state by just 12,000 votes. But Republicans are also urging voters to vote early, as it is still too early to tell the final outcome.

Unexpected variables

However, the storms that hit the US last month and devastated many states in the southeastern US, including Georgia and North Carolina, have created a " political storm" when hurricane relief policies were politicized. While Mr. Trump criticized the way the Biden administration responded to the storm, Ms. Harris accused Mr. Trump of spreading misinformation. That's not to mention the problems with election infrastructure, upcoming polling stations and the story of post-storm reconstruction that could take years afterward. "Storms can shake elections" - Politico commented, saying that votes in battleground states will be very close. In the past, major storms such as Sandy (2012) and Charley (2004) are also said to have impacted the victories of Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush. In this year's election, billionaires also play an important role in the campaigns of the two candidates. Recently, statistics show that the richest person on the planet, billionaire Elon Musk, has poured about 75 million USD into Mr. Trump's campaign in the past three months. In total, three billionaires Elon Musk, Miriam Adelson and Richard Uihlein have donated about 220 million USD to groups supporting Mr. Trump. Meanwhile, Ms. Harris has also received 1 billion USD in support since joining the race in July 2024. According to Forbes magazine, the Democratic candidate has the support of 76 billionaires such as Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett...

Source: (NYT, WSJ, Forbes) - Data: TRAN PHUONG - Graphics: TUAN ANH

Which states have early voting in the US?

Before the official election day of November 5, most US states (more than 45 states) held early voting in person or by mail. Today, 97% of US voters have at least one early voting option, compared to only 40% in 2000. Alabama was the first state to send ballots by mail on September 11, and Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia began early voting on September 20. This week, 10 states: Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Rhode Island, Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisiana, Washington, Massachusetts, and Nevada opened early voting. Military and overseas citizen ballots must be mailed 45 days before Election Day, so they were mailed on September 21.

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