Just when we thought we were sure, just when we thought it was safe…we find out this election isn’t going the way we thought it was. So let me break the news to you: Donald Trump could still win. Yes, despite almost all national polls showing Clinton with a narrow lead, local and state polls show Donald Trump could still stage an upset, contrary to the national data.
If Donald Trump does win the election, polls are showing it would not be by popular vote, but rather by the electoral college vote. The electoral delegates’ votes, based on the will of their constituents, could possibly turn the tide toward Trump. According to Politico, despite polls showing that Clinton will probably win the popular vote nationally, the electoral college vote in “more populous battleground states” like Florida and North Carolina could go to Trump. Because the electoral college vote is made of 538 votes, the candidate must win a majority of 270 votes to win the presidency. If the constituents of most electoral districts in a state vote in favor of Trump, the delegates in that state are obligated to vote for the Republican candidate—and this could throw the electoral college majority to Trump. This scary possibility is due to a large number of undecided or third party voters in these states. That’s right—the election could go to Trump based on just a few people.
According to Vox, this is the map that shows a potential victory for Trump, showing him winning Florida, Georgia and a combination of the toss up states.
ABC News assessed the battleground states as either being left-leaning, right-leaning or “toss-ups,” based on the latest polls. There’s been an influx of “toss-ups” during this election, making the race closer and more difficult to call. The toss-ups—aka the root of all our problems—are Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New Hampshire and North Carolina. Their popular and electoral votes are really coming down to the wire. In Florida, where there is record voter turnout especially in early voting, many analysts are truly unsure of which way the vote will go with just hours until Election Day begins.
This is the most exhausting election I’ve lived through by far—and I lived through Bush v. Gore. Voting has never been more important, so please cast your ballots and cross your fingers. There’s only one day left, but oh boy, do we have such a LONG way to go.