Swing State
A state where elections are closely contested and the outcome is not predictable, giving it outsized influence in winner-take-all systems.
Explanation
A swing state (or battleground state) is a state where neither major party has a reliable advantage, making it competitive in elections. In the United States, swing states receive disproportionate attention during presidential campaigns because of the Electoral College's winner-take-all structure — winning a swing state by any margin captures all its electoral votes. Key swing states in recent US elections have included Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada. The concept applies most in winner-take-all systems; in proportional representation systems, every vote matters equally regardless of geography.
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