Visualizing the US Election Results: Maps and Charts | Latest Updates from US News
As more than 120 million votes are tallied, the race to determine the next president between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in January is tightening.
Trump’s wins in Georgia and North Carolina have made it more challenging for Harris to secure a path to victory, as she now needs to win at least three of the remaining battleground states – Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Nevada – to claim the presidency. In comparison, Trump can win with just two of the larger states.
The exit poll reflects the deepening divide among American voters along party lines and key issues affecting the nation. However, demographic indicators like race and age show slightly less division.
There is a shift in voter support, with Black and Latino voters leaning towards Republicans in higher numbers than in previous elections, while white voters and older voters, particularly women, are aligning more closely with the Democrats.
The results from the remaining battleground states, along with a few others, are still pending.
Current standings in undeclared states
It’s crucial not to make assumptions based on early leads in battleground states. For instance, in Georgia, Trump initially led by a significant margin but ended up losing the state. A similar scenario occurred with Biden in North Carolina.
The votes cast in counties that have finished voting show a leaning towards Trump, with the majority of these counties swinging in his favor. In fact, 90% of counties that have tallied over 95% of their votes have shown a shift towards Trump.
There have been 26 counties that flipped allegiance from their 2020 results, with the majority favoring Trump. Eight of these counties had been Democrat-leaning in every election since 2000.
Insights from the exit poll
The exit poll reveals a dissatisfied American electorate.
Conducted by Sky’s US partner NBC News, the poll indicates a nation discontent with its current status but deeply divided on key issues. A large portion of people view the nation’s economy and overall situation in a negative light.
Furthermore, a significant percentage expressed dissatisfaction or anger towards the country’s state of affairs.
An overwhelming majority disapproved of the Supreme Court’s performance, and a similar number disapproved of Joe Biden’s handling of the presidency.
Harris supporters prioritized “democracy,” while Trump supporters focused on the economy and immigration. The decision to vote for either candidate was mostly made well before the election.
The exit poll also highlights a decrease in support for Trump among his core groups, such as voters over 65, white women, and white non-college-educated individuals. Similarly, Harris saw a decline in support from key demographics like Latino voters, the youth, and women.
Additionally, the polls indicated a shift in Harris’s lead among groups that strongly supported Biden previously, including a notable drop in Latino support, young voters, and women.
This year, abortion was a significant issue in ten states, with these voter groups expected to be among Harris’s strongest supporters.
Updates on abortion votes
Aside from the presidential race, voters in ten states also decided on enshrining and protecting the right to abortion in the local constitution.
New York, Maryland, and Colorado voters approved this right, while voters in Florida narrowly missed the 60% threshold to pass the measure, despite majority support. Florida was the only state requiring more than a simple majority for passage.
According to the exit poll, the majority of Democrat voters support legal abortion, contrasting sharply with Republican voters.
Moreover, on the issue of immigration, voters disagreed with the former president, with a majority believing that undocumented immigrants should have a chance to apply for legal status.
Senate and House outcomes
The Democrats have lost control of the Senate, losing two seats to Republicans in Ohio and West Virginia. Maintaining their majority was a challenging task, given that the seats up for election were those won in the 2018 “blue wave” midterm elections, midway through Trump’s tenure.
Furthermore, the Republicans have gained one seat in the House, where they already held the majority. In the event of an electoral college tie, the House will be responsible for selecting the president.
The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. They utilize data analysis and visualization to deliver data-driven narratives, combining traditional reporting with advanced data interpretation to offer a better understanding of the world and their journalistic process.
