The presidential elections in the United States are around the corner and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, the daughter of Indian and Jamaican parents, expects strong support from the Indian-American community. Especially, in many important “battleground” states, the Indian-American community seems united in supporting Harris.
It is a historic opportunity for many Indian-American communities to have leaders of their origin in the race for the White House, giving the community a strong place in the American political scene. Dr Vasudev Patel, general secretary of the Federation of Indian-American Associations of Georgia, said: “It is a matter of pride that a leader of Indian origin is participating in the US presidential election.”
Georgia is one of seven major “battleground” states in the United States and Patel believes the Indian-American community here can swing the election outcome in Harris’ favor.
“I voted for Trump last time, but this time I’m supporting Kamala Harris,” said Saurabh Gupta, a tech expert who grew up in Delhi and resides in Montgomery County, Maryland. If Harris wins, it will be the first time that a person of Indian origin has reached the top position in the United States.
Second largest immigrant community
After Kamala Harris was nominated for president by the Democratic Party in August, many Indian-American and South Asian groups have rallied behind her. This also includes raising funds for them.
There are approximately 52 lakh Indian Americans in the United States, forming the second largest expatriate community. Of them, around 23 lakh people have the right to vote. According to a 2024 survey, 55 percent of Indian-Americans identify as Democrats, while 26 percent are Republicans.
Voter mood revealed in survey
A Carnegie Endowment poll this month found that 61 percent of registered Indian-American voters have decided to vote for Harris, while 32 percent will support Trump. 67 percent of Indian-American women were said to support Harris, while this figure among men is 53 percent. On the other hand, 22 percent of women are willing to vote for Trump, while among men this figure is 39 percent.
There are less than seven days until the election and both candidates, Harris and Trump, are in a close race in most of the swing states. In the latest CNN poll this week, 47 percent of potential voters support Harris and the same number of people support Trump. In the New York Times/Cena College poll, the two are tied at 48 percent. While 4 percent of voters are still not able to decide.
Seven important swing states
There are seven major swing states that will influence the outcome of the election: Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Nevada. These states have the maximum number of electors. The mood of the voters here always changes, it is very difficult to measure the electoral mood of the voters of these federal states. Your inclination always changes. For this reason these states are called undecided states. According to the New York Times report, the largest swing state in the United States is currently Pennsylvania, where there are 19 electoral votes. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are doing everything they can to record victory here. Campaign groups for both candidates have spent more than $138 million on television and radio advertising in the state since September.
Why are swing states important in the United States?
These states have historical importance in American elections. However, on election day people choose their favorite candidate but their vote does not directly elect the President. Instead, voters choose the Electoral College, which is made up of electors. The number of electors in each state is equal to the number of representatives of that party in the United States Senate and House of Representatives. For example, suppose the number of representatives in the Michigan Senate is 4, then the number of electors in that state will also be four. These voters vote directly for the candidate of their choice.
To win the race for the White House, any candidate needs 270 electoral votes out of a total of 538.
