What states are 'swing states' and what that means

WASHINGTON — As polls close across the country on Election Day, all eyes turn to results. While every vote counts, the spotlight is a bit bright on several battleground states, sometimes referred to as swing states. 

Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump repeatedly visited these several states in order to gain more favor and hopefully get them closer to the 270 Electoral College vote finish line. 

A battleground, or swing state, is a term used when there does not appear to be one clear or consistent majority support for either Democratic or Republican candidate. 

CBS News considers these the battleground states in the 2024 presidential election:

Battleground states can be crucial to winning a presidential election because of the amount of electoral college votes they hold.  

The Electoral College is a 538-member body that elects a president. The framers of the Constitution set it up to give more power to the states and as a compromise to avoid having Congress decide the winner.

Each state’s electors vote for the candidate who won the popular vote in that state. The runner-up gets nothing — except in Nebraska and Maine where elector votes are awarded based on congressional district and statewide results.

To win the presidency, a candidate must secure 270 electoral votes — a majority of the 538 possible votes.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.