Battleground states
CLEP American Government, Chapter 31
Battleground states
A battleground state is a state in which the leading presidential candidates have a realistic chance of winning. The label is political, not constitutional. No law permanently designates battlegrounds, and the list can change as party coalitions, migration, turnout, issues, and candidate appeal change. A state that was competitive in one era may become reliably Democratic or Republican in another.
Winner-take-all allocation makes these states especially valuable. Campaigns know that changing a small number of votes in a close state may shift its entire electoral slate. They respond by concentrating advertising, field offices, candidate visits, polling, and voter-mobilization efforts there. Safe states still cast electoral votes, but an additional campaign dollar is less likely to change their outcome.
Do not confuse a battleground with a large state. Population determines the size of an electoral prize, while competitiveness determines whether the prize appears reachable. A smaller competitive state can receive more attention than a larger state whose result seems settled. When a question describes campaigns moving resources toward close statewide contests, it is pointing to battleground-state strategy.
Video lesson: Election Basics: Crash Course Government and Politics #36
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