Election Day is four days away, and more than half the number of Americans who voted in 2016 have already cast their ballots, as polls continue to show Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a large national lead over President Donald Trump, along with a smaller advantage in several key states.
The deadline for early voting ends Friday in several states where the race is tight, including Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Texas – and on Saturday in the key states of Florida and North Carolina. Though early turnout appears to favor Democrats in many states, Republicans are gaining ground quickly in Florida and other early voting states.
As the race enters the home stretch, the USA TODAY average of averages, which is based on data from RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight, finds Biden up 8.3 percentage points over Trump nationally. That is nearly a full point higher than Biden was at the end of September but 2 points lower than the 10.1-point edge he held in mid-October.
The polls were also shifting in Trump’s favor ahead of his upset win over Hillary Clinton in 2016, but that trend was more pronounced and her lead was not as big as Biden’s heading into the election. Four days before Election Day that year, Clinton’s average lead was about 2.1 percentage points.
If the states end up breaking according to their current polling averages, and assuming the non-swing states go the way they did in 2016, Biden would win decisively in the Electoral College, even if he lost Ohio, which is tied. But Biden’s polling average advantage is greater than 5 points in just four of twelve swing states and the race will hinge on what happens in the races where Biden’s margin is thin enough to leave the candidates in a virtual dead heat.
Last week in polls:Trump gains in 9 of 12 swing states, but Biden still leads in 10 of them
National average
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 51.7%, Trump 43.4% (Biden +8.3)
On Monday: Biden 51.4%, Trump 42.9% (Biden +8.6)
Net change: Trump +0.3
- RCP: Biden 51.3%, Trump 43.5%
- FiveThirtyEight: Biden 52.0%, Trump 43.2%
Four days before 2016 election: Clinton +2.1
Swing state averages
Arizona: Biden +1.4
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 47.8%, Trump 46.4%
Monday: Biden 48.8%, Trump 46.1% (Biden +2.7)
Net change: Trump +1.3
Florida: Biden +1.7
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 48.6%, Trump 46.9%
Monday: Biden 48.9%, Trump 47.0% (Biden +1.9)
Net change: Trump +0.2
Georgia: Biden +1.0
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 48.0%, Trump 47.0%
Monday: Biden 47.6%, Trump 47.1% (Biden +0.5)
Net change: Biden +0.5
Iowa: Biden +0.6
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 47.2%, Trump 46.6%
Monday: Biden 47.4%, Trump 46.3% (Biden +1.1)
Net change: Trump +0.5
Michigan: Biden +7.3
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 50.4%, Trump 43.1%
Monday: Biden 50.5%, Trump 42.7% (Biden +7.8)
Net change: Trump +0.5
Minnesota: Biden +6.4
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 49.1%, Trump 42.7%
Monday: Biden 49.4%, Trump 42.3% (Biden +7.1)
Net change: Trump +0.7
Nevada: Biden +5.1
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 49.1%, Trump 44.0%
Monday: Biden 49.6%, Trump 43.8% (Biden +5.8)
Net change: Trump +0.7
North Carolina: Biden +1.3
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 48.6%, Trump 47.3%
Monday: Biden 49.1%, Trump 47.2% (Biden +1.9)
Net change: Trump +0.6
Ohio: Tie
USA TODAY average of averages: Trump 46.4%, Biden 46.4%
Monday: Trump 47.4%, Biden 46.4% (Trump +1.0)
Net change: Biden +1.0
Pennsylvania: Biden +4.7
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 50.0, Trump 45.3%
Monday: Biden 50.0%, Trump 44.6% (Biden +5.4)
Net change: Trump +0.7
Texas: Trump +1.8
USA TODAY average of averages: Trump 48.1%, Biden 46.3%
Monday: Trump 48.1%, Biden 46.8% (Trump +1.7)
Net change: Trump +0.1
Wisconsin: Biden +7.9
USA TODAY average of averages: Biden 51.1%, Trump 43.2%
Monday: Biden 50.1%, Trump 44.4% (Biden +5.7)
Net change: Biden +2.2
Source Article from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/30/polling-average-four-days-before-election/6082915002/
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