Red v Blue States
The United States is essentially a two party system dominated by the Democratic Party and Republican Party, though minor parties and individuals sometimes run for national elections.
The popular vote in each of the fifty US states, rather than the total national vote, plays a role in selecting the next President of the United States. Each state's popular vote affects the outcome in the Electoral College, which ultimately determines the winner.
States that have a history of normally voting Republican are called ‘red states', while those which traditionally vote Democrat are called ‘blue states'.
Battleground States
Battleground states, also called swing states, are the American equivalent of marginal seats in Australia. Voters in these states are so evenly divided in their political allegiances that state wide support can switch from one party to another from election to election. Presidential candidates focus much of their campaign efforts on winning these states.
There are about a dozen swing states in the 2008 election. These include traditional battlegrounds such as Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. But the political landscape is shifting in 2008 with new swing states emerging. Places like Virginia, Colorado and Michigan that used to solidly vote Republican or Democratic are now up for grabs.
Check out the latest swing state polls in Battleground Spotlight.
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