It’s been two days since the counting of votes started in the US presidential elections but Americans are still waiting to know the results. Standing between them and the final verdict are six states that are still counting their votes.
At last count, Democratic nominee Joe Biden, with 253 votes, was just short of 17 votes in the electoral college and Trump trailed with 214 but Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada and Alaska are yet to declare results.
These six states, with 71 electoral college votes between them, have the potential to swing the results and are thus keenly awaited. But, President Trump, seeking re-election, has already challenged the vote count in courts, accusing the Democrats of ‘stealing’ the elections. “STOP THE COUNT”, he tweeted on Thursday.
US Presidential Election results: Statewise wins/leads
https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/4222683/
Beyond the rhetoric, Trump has specifically targeted the integrity of the huge number of ballots mailed in, rather than cast in person on election day. The big shift to postal ballots this year reflected the desire of voters to avoid risking exposure to COVID-19 in crowded polling stations during a pandemic that has already killed more than 230,000 Americans.
Here’s a look at the six states that hold the key:
Pennsylvania:
Electoral college votes: 20
Votes polled by Donald Trump: 3,286, 171 (49.7%)
Votes polled by Joe Biden: 3,224, 935 (49.0%)
Votes counted: 94%
North Carolina
Electoral college votes: 15
Votes polled by Donald Trump: 2,732,120 (50%)
Votes polled by Joe Biden: 2,655, 383 (48.6%)
Votes counted: 95%
Georgia
Electoral college votes: 16
Votes polled by Donald Trump: 2,447, 015 (49.4%)
Votes polled by Joe Biden: 2,444, 518 (49.3 %)
Votes counted: 98%
Arizona
Electoral college votes: 11
Votes polled by Donald Trump: 1,482, 062 (48.5%)
Votes polled by Joe Biden: 1,528, 319 (50.15%)
Votes counted: 90%
Also read: What will Joe Biden mean to the world and India
Nevada
Electoral college votes: 6
Votes polled by Donald Trump: 592,813 (48.5%)
Votes polled by Joe Biden: 604,251 (49.4%)
Votes counted: 89%
Alaska
Electoral college votes: 3
Votes polled by Donald Trump: 108,231 (62.9%)
Votes polled by Joe Biden: 56, 849 (33%)
Votes counted: 56%
(* Stats from nyt.com)
