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Here’s a look at the situation in the key states that are still up for grabs and the paths to victory for each candidate.
WASHINGTON – The US presidential election could be resolved Thursday when a handful of states on the battlefield complete their vote count.
Democrat Joe Biden has accumulated at least 253 of the 270 electoral votes he needs, according to projections by the US network, and 264 if Arizona is included, which Fox News and the Associated Press have called in his favor.
Donald Trump has racked up 214 electoral votes so far and is still in contention in several states that would allow the Republican in power a path to reelection.
It is expected Thursday to report the final vote counts for Georgia (16 electoral votes), North Carolina (15) and Nevada (6).
However, mail-in ballots mailed on or before Election Day in North Carolina can be counted through November 12.
Biden could hit the magic number to win the White House with a win in any of the three, if he sticks with Arizona. Trump needs to capture all three to stay competitive.
Here’s a look at the situation in the key states still up for grabs and the paths to victory for each candidate:
NEVADA
Nevada, where Biden is the favorite, could put him in precisely the number needed to win, if he stays with Arizona. With more than 87% of the votes counted, Biden led by about 12,000 votes, according to CNN.
NORTH CAROLINA
In North Carolina, Trump had a comfortable advantage of about 77,000 votes with 95% of the votes, about 5.38 million, tabulated.
GEORGIA
In Georgia, shortly after noon, Biden fell behind Trump by just over 13,500 votes, with 98 percent counted.
But it could get most of the final votes counted, which include thousands in Democratic-leaning areas.
Gabriel Sterling, who works for Georgia’s secretary of state, told reporters early Thursday that some 60,000 votes remained uncounted.
“The speed is excellent and we appreciate it. We value the precision more,” he said.
Georgia has not elected a Democrat for president since Bill Clinton in 1992.
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania is the largest remaining prize, with 20 electoral votes. As in Georgia, Trump currently leads, but most of the votes that remain to be counted are in Democratic-leaning areas like Philadelphia.
At noon, Trump’s lead was about 116,000 votes, with 92% of the votes counted.
ARIZONA
A wild card that could upset these calculations: Arizona. Fox News and the Associated Press have already called for the race in favor of Biden, but other networks, including CNN and NBC, have said the race is still too close to call.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs told ABC News that she did not expect a final recount Thursday, but also that she does not expect a recount.
“It doesn’t look like today, probably closer to tomorrow that we’ll be closer to passing all those ballots,” Hobbs said.
On Thursday, Biden had an advantage of about 69,000 votes with more than 86% of the votes counted.
ROADS TO VICTORY
Much of the delay is due to a flood of mail-in votes due to the coronavirus pandemic, and those votes have tended to favor Democrats.
If Biden’s leadership in Arizona holds, and Nevada or Georgia wins, he would pass the 270 electoral vote threshold.
If Trump controls North Carolina and Georgia but loses Arizona, he must take Nevada and Pennsylvania to win.
Simply winning Pennsylvania, where Trump leads but faces a possible flood of ballots mailed in favor of Biden, will not be enough for the president, even if he gets all three Alaska electoral votes as expected.
Much to Trump’s chagrin, Pennsylvania decided to allow ballots mailed before Election Day, but received up to three days later, to be counted. Authorities expect to complete the count on Friday.
Another factor that could keep the battle alive: Trump’s campaign has unleashed a legal blitz in key states vital to the incumbent’s reelection.
He has filed a lawsuit to disqualify late ballots in Pennsylvania, sued in Nevada and Georgia for alleged wrongdoing and demanded a recount in Wisconsin.
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