skynewsus--2020-10-27--Georgia's black voters fired up amid claims of intimidation and suppression

Joe Biden heads to Georgia on Tuesday in a final push for votes in the deep south Peach State which - for the first time in decades - has emerged as an electoral battleground .
If the Democrats win here , it 's likely to signal doom for Donald Trump 's re-election bid .
The state has already broken all previous records for early voting with an explosion in polling enthusiasm unmatched here before .
But the voting fever has been accompanied by escalating claims of voter suppression and other tactics to try to alter the outcome in an area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially crucial .
There have been daily long lines of voters queuing up to cast their ballots , with some waiting as long as 11 hours on 12 October , the first day of early voting .
`` A lot of intimidation tactics have occurred in the state of Georgia , '' says Fenika Miller of the Black Voters Matter campaign group .
`` People seem to have a problem with black people exercising their right , as if we do n't belong .
And we know that voter suppression and voter intimidation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The rising tension could be because after decades of voting staunchly red the race in Georgia is now too close to call - latest polls suggest the candidates are neck and neck .
Huge billboards in downtown Atlanta urge people to vote and vote early .
Giant coloured murals exhort residents to have their say in what many see as the most important election of their lifetime .
Even ATM machines carry messages to cast your ballot .
`` I 'm not voting to get a president in , '' one elderly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polling station at Cobb County .
`` I 'm voting to get a president out . ''
The tight race is due to myriad reasons .
The first and possibly most substantive is the changing demographics of the state 's capital , Atlanta .
Over the past few years , there 's been an upsurge of black , Latino and Hispanic workers gravitating to the city .
Many are thought to be more likely to vote Democratic .
Those we spoke to cited what they view as Donald Trump 's racist policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Police brutality and the disproportionately high number of black Americans killed by police - throughout the country as well as in Georgia - also appears to have galvanised the black vote , particularly among the young .
The president 's reluctance to condemn white supremacists is viewed as divisively inflammatory and many clearly feel threatened .
We saw several heavily armed men wearing body armour and carrying weapons marching alongside a group of mostly young voters on their way to vote at the city 's State Farm Arena .
`` V.O.T.E @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vote !
Vote !
Vote !
Vote ! ''
`` You never know when the attack is going to come… you never know who… or where it 'll come from , '' one of those carrying guns told us .
Among the marchers was 22-year-old Destiny Britt .
`` We are literally voting for our lives , '' she said .
`` If the president has said that the people who are directly fighting to kill black people are good people… I do n't know what else would make you feel frightened for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life and my children 's life and other generations . ''
The Sky team in Georgia has spent the past few days visiting multiple early voting polling stations and found the overwhelming majority were deeply suspicious about the long queues and difficulties in casting ballots .
In Marietta , just north of Atlanta , many spoke of their concerns about the three-hour-long wait .
`` Voter suppression is going on and there are various ways governments are now trying to suppress the vote , '' Curtis Cheeks told us .
`` And one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from voting . ''
In the offices of the Black Voters Matter group , in Warner Robins , a throng of volunteers was told by their organiser , Fenika Miller , that they had to find fresh reserves of energy to canvass as many potential voters as possible in the last full week .
`` We need to really make a final push , a hard push , right ? ''
she implored them .
She sent volunteers out in twos and threes `` for safety reasons '' .
We were n't on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why .
''He just told us to get the eff out of his neighbourhood , '' Takeria Mathis said , motioning towards a bare-chested white man a short distance down the same street .
Do you feel intimidated by that we asked : `` No , '' she replied with a smile .
Do you feel worried ?
`` No . ''
Do you feel angry ?
`` No . ''
What do you feel ?
`` Strength , '' she said - without missing a heartbeat .
Georgia 's not entirely unaccustomed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker They remember what happened in 2018 like it was last week .
Then they saw the Democratic contender for governor , Stacey Abrams , lose by around 50,000 votes in a highly contentious ballot which many including Ms Abrams felt was 'stolen ' .
Many voters complained then of waiting an excessively long time .
Many gave up or stayed at home , others complained of being removed from the electoral roll .
In the primary elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new electronic voting machines malfunctioning .
The doubts appear to have only enthused the voters even more , and there 's been a massive concerted effort to try to engage with Millennials and Generation Z voters .
By initial accounts , it seems to have worked .
Early voting among Georgians under 40 is thought to be more than three times what it was in 2016 , with around 600,000 young voters already casting their ballot .
First-time voter Maddison Myers waited more than two hours to vote at Marietta : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I stayed in the line because when I was at the end , at the back of it , I just wanted to get back in my car . ''
He told us the main motivation was to try to push Donald Trump out .
`` It 's not really about his politics , '' the 18-year-old told us .
`` I just hate the man and what he stands for . ''
Motivation to vote among his band of fresh school leavers though , he emphasised , was very high : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying you 've got to vote . ''
But President Trump still retains popularity in the whiter Atlanta suburbs , making it the closest run presidential race here in decades .
And while niggling problems exist and voting lines increase as the days count down to election day , the doubts are also likely to mount over the vote .
One of the city 's most famous rappers Jeezy , very publicly cast his vote at the State Farm Arena polling station .
`` This 'll probably be one of the most important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he told Sky News .
`` There 's a lot at stake and we need some change .
We got to get out here and let our voices be heard so that 's why we here . ''

Joe Biden has headed to Georgia in a final push for votes in the deep south Peach State which - for the first time in decades - has emerged as an electoral battleground.
If the Democrats win here, it's likely to signal doom for Donald Trump's re-election bid.
The state has already broken all previous records for early voting with an explosion in polling enthusiasm unmatched here before.
But the voting fever has been accompanied by escalating claims of voter suppression and other tactics to try to alter the outcome in an area where the black vote is seen as potentially crucial.
There have been daily long lines of voters queuing up to cast their ballots, with some waiting as long as 11 hours on 12 October, the first day of early voting.
"A lot of intimidation tactics have occurred in the state of Georgia," says Fenika Miller of the Black Voters Matter campaign group.
"People seem to have a problem with black people exercising their right, as if we don't belong. And we know that voter suppression and voter intimidation is as old as American pie."
Image: Fenika Miller says volunteers go out in groups amid 'intimidation tactics'
The rising tension could be because after decades of voting staunchly red the race in Georgia is now too close to call - latest polls suggest the candidates are neck and neck.
Huge billboards in downtown Atlanta urge people to vote and vote early.
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Giant coloured murals exhort residents to have their say in what many see as the most important election of their lifetime. Even ATM machines carry messages to cast your ballot.
"I'm not voting to get a president in," one elderly woman told us as she hobbled into the polling station at Cobb County. "I'm voting to get a president out."
Image: Some people claim hours-long queues are an attempt to suppress their vote
The tight race is due to myriad reasons. The first and possibly most substantive is the changing demographics of the state's capital, Atlanta.
Over the past few years, there's been an upsurge of black, Latino and Hispanic workers gravitating to the city.
Many are thought to be more likely to vote Democratic. Those we spoke to cited what they view as Donald Trump's racist policies as their prime motivation for voting against him.
Police brutality and the disproportionately high number of black Americans killed by police - throughout the country as well as in Georgia - also appears to have galvanised the black vote, particularly among the young.
The president's reluctance to condemn white supremacists is viewed as divisively inflammatory and many clearly feel threatened.
We saw several heavily armed men wearing body armour and carrying weapons marching alongside a group of mostly young voters on their way to vote at the city's State Farm Arena. "V.O.T.E.", they shouted, "Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote!"
"You never know when the attack is going to come… you never know who… or where it'll come from," one of those carrying guns told us.
Image: 'We are literally voting for our lives,' says Destiny Britt
Among the marchers was 22-year-old Destiny Britt.
"We are literally voting for our lives," she said.
"If the president has said that the people who are directly fighting to kill black people are good people… I don't know what else would make you feel frightened for your life… I'm fighting for my life and my children's life and other generations."
The Sky team in Georgia has spent the past few days visiting multiple early voting polling stations and found the overwhelming majority were deeply suspicious about the long queues and difficulties in casting ballots.
In Marietta, just north of Atlanta, many spoke of their concerns about the three-hour-long wait.
"Voter suppression is going on and there are various ways governments are now trying to suppress the vote," Curtis Cheeks told us.
"And one of them is long lines keeping people from voting."
In the offices of the Black Voters Matter group, in Warner Robins, a throng of volunteers was told by their organiser, Fenika Miller, that they had to find fresh reserves of energy to canvass as many potential voters as possible in the last full week.
"We need to really make a final push, a hard push, right?" she implored them.
She sent volunteers out in twos and threes "for safety reasons". We weren't on the campaign very long before we saw why.
Image: Organisers are giving a final 'hard push' to get people out to vote
''He just told us to get the eff out of his neighbourhood," Takeria Mathis said, motioning towards a bare-chested white man a short distance down the same street.
Do you feel intimidated by that we asked: "No," she replied with a smile.
Do you feel worried? "No." Do you feel angry? "No." What do you feel? "Strength," she said - without missing a heartbeat.
Georgia's not entirely unaccustomed to claims of voter suppression.
:: Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
They remember what happened in 2018 like it was last week. Then they saw the Democratic contender for governor, Stacey Abrams, lose by around 50,000 votes in a highly contentious ballot which many including Ms Abrams felt was 'stolen'.
Many voters complained then of waiting an excessively long time. Many gave up or stayed at home, others complained of being removed from the electoral roll.
In the primary elections in June, there were complaints about the new electronic voting machines malfunctioning.
The doubts appear to have only enthused the voters even more, and there's been a massive concerted effort to try to engage with Millennials and Generation Z voters.
By initial accounts, it seems to have worked.
Early voting among Georgians under 40 is thought to be more than three times what it was in 2016, with around 600,000 young voters already casting their ballot.
Image: 'There's a lot at stake and we need some change,' says rapper Jeezy
First-time voter Maddison Myers waited more than two hours to vote at Marietta: "I'm really surprised at myself that I stayed in the line because when I was at the end, at the back of it, I just wanted to get back in my car."
He told us the main motivation was to try to push Donald Trump out.
"It's not really about his politics," the 18-year-old told us. "I just hate the man and what he stands for."
Motivation to vote among his band of fresh school leavers though, he emphasised, was very high: "We're all messaging each other, saying you've got to vote."
But President Trump still retains popularity in the whiter Atlanta suburbs, making it the closest run presidential race here in decades. And while niggling problems exist and voting lines increase as the days count down to election day, the doubts are also likely to mount over the vote.
One of the city's most famous rappers Jeezy, very publicly cast his vote at the State Farm Arena polling station. "This'll probably be one of the most important elections ever, if I'm honest," he told Sky News.
"There's a lot at stake and we need some change. We got to get out here and let our voices be heard so that's why we here."


skynewsus--2020-10-12--The swing states - where the US election will be won and lost

The US presidential election on 3 November will be decided , as always , by the `` swing states '' .
Donald Trump 's surprise victory in 2016 happened because he won Michigan , Ohio , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin from the Democrats .
Joe Biden 's chances of un-seating the incumbent , something that happens rarely in US elections - the last occasion being Bill Clinton 's defeat of George Bush in 1992 - require him reversing these losses .
At the same time he must avoid losing any states of his own , including Nevada and Minnesota .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump the Democrats could threaten Republican states , including Arizona , Florida , Georgia and North Carolina .
Should the Democrats win in Texas , however , not even Donald Trump would argue the election was rigged .
Mr Trump currently trails Biden in the national polls but this does not rule out his re-election .
Hillary Clinton received almost three million more votes nationally than Mr Trump but still lost .
The national vote does not determine who sits in the White House .
It is the 538 members of the Electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs 270 votes in the college to become president .
Each state is allocated college voters according to its population .
The smallest states each have three members .
The largest states , California and Texas , have 55 and 38 members respectively .
Most states have a `` winner takes all '' rule , meaning the candidate winning most votes receives all its college votes .
Mr Trump won in 2016 because his votes were better distributed than Mrs Clinton 's .
He won most votes in 30 states compared with Mrs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ college votes .
The Democrats must learn from mistakes made in 2016 .
Mrs Clinton 's campaign under-estimated Republican support among struggling blue-collar workers in Michigan , Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ( the so-called Blue Wall ) all of which had been in Democrat hands since at least the 1990s .
Mr Trump 's margin of victory in each of these three states was under one percentage point but crucially delivered him 46 college votes - 15 % of his final total .
What happens after the polls close is different in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US votes are counted in over three thousand counties .
Regular reports of voting patterns are released throughout the night , enabling media organisations to keep a close eye on proceedings .
When sufficient votes have been declared the main broadcasters will `` call '' a state for either the Republican or Democrat candidate , awarding them the state 's college votes .
It is often weeks after the election that the final voting figures become available .
Here we take a look at what each presidential candidate must do in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House : Captured from the Republicans by Bill Clinton in 1992 the state looked secure for wife Hillary with the Democrats regularly polling over half the votes .
But with some former Democrats moving towards Mr Trump , the Republicans finished ahead .
It was not until a month after the election that the official result was finally declared with the Republican majority of just 10,704 votes .
Key to Mr Trump 's upset was his appeal to blue-collar workers who are normally strong Democrats but have suffered badly from the decline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although a recent poll gave Mr Trump a one-point lead most forecasts favour Mr Biden to re-take the state .
Hillary Clinton never visited the state during her campaign , another of the Democrats ' strategic mistakes in 2016 .
Just 22,748 votes gave Mr Trump victory here , the first Republican winner since Ronald Reagan in 1984 .
The state has seen other cliff-hangers .
George W Bush came close , losing by 6,000 votes in 2000 and 11,000 four years later .
Mr Biden should win if Democrat supporters can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
Concentrating voters ' minds will be the rioting in Kenosha that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake last August and the deployment of the National Guard .
Democrat controlled since Bill Clinton took it in 1992 the party lost out to Mr Trump by 44,000 votes in a turnout of more than six million voters .
In 2016 this was the tipping point which ensured Mr Trump would become the 45th president .
Although the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh remained loyal to the Democrats , the Republicans won a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 67 counties .
Mr Trump benefited from some Democrats splitting their votes , returning a Democrat for the 17th Congressional District while backing Mr Trump for president .
Winning Pennsylvania meant he passed the important 270 college vote mark and for that reason the state is regarded as among the most important to watch for on election night .
Counties to watch : Berks , Northampton , Erie , Lancaster Ohio is a bellwether state , reflecting the national mood as it moves between the two established parties .
It plumped for George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then favoured Barak Obama in the two subsequent elections before opting for Mr Trump last time .
No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio .
The Republicans won all but eight of the 88 counties in 2016 so the Democrats will not find it easy .
While Mr Biden leads in the national polls some surveys of Ohio 's voters show Mr Trump ahead there .
Most pundits believe Ohio remains too close to call .
Should the state remain Republican but Mr Biden becomes president , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 66-year record .
Mr Trump 's victory here was emphatic , beating Mrs Clinton by a margin of ten percentage points .
This was the worst performance for a Democratic party candidate since 1980 .
Before Mr Trump 's win it had been held by the Democrats since 1988 apart from George W Bush 's narrow victory in 2004 .
The Republicans won a majority in all but six of the state 's 99 counties in 2016 .
State-wide polling , however , suggests a narrowing Republican lead but current expectations are that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If Biden wins back these target states then he 's home and dry , unless the Democrats lose some states they already have .
The Republican campaign has talked up its chances in areas they feel are moving in their direction .
Where could Trump spring more surprises ?
Mr Trump came within 27,000 votes of winning Nevada .
Before him , no Republican candidate since William Taft in 1908 had failed to win the state on their way to the White House .
Nevada has a knack of siding with the winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 1976 .
Although the Republicans easily win the state 's rural counties , mostly with large majorities , Democrat strength lies in just two counties - Washoe centred on Reno and Clark which covers Las Vegas - those accounted for more than two-thirds of all votes cast in 2016 .
The Republican campaign must appeal to urban voters in these counties , many of whom work in the tourist and hospitality industries badly affected by the COVID-19 epidemic .
Current polling evidence suggests that effort is not working with Mr Trump currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although the Democrats have won here since 1976 Mr Trump was less than two percentage points from causing an upset in 2016 .
Before then , Republican candidates have only won three times since the war - twice supporting General Eisenhower in the 1950s and Richard Nixon in 1972 .
Ronald Reagan would have won every state in his 1984 landslide were it not for Minnesota sticking with the Democrats , albeit by fewer than 4,000 votes .
About six in 10 voters are crowded into the Minneapolis-St Paul area which favours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across Republican-leaning small towns and rural areas .
In 2016 one in ten voters supported smaller parties or independent candidates .
The killing of George Floyd , a Black man from Minneapolis by a white police officer last May , guarantees that race relations will be a key factor in the election .
Florida , has seesawed between the parties and is critical given its large number of college votes , the third highest of any state .
The candidate winning Florida has become president in every election since 1992 .
The contest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Al Gore , was settled by the outcome in Florida .
After weeks of recounts and an appeal to the Supreme Court , it was finally awarded to Mr Bush .
There was another close finish in 2016 with the two parties separated by a difference of one percentage point .
The key to Mr Trump 's victory proved to be his appeal among Cuban-American voters .
The state is seen by many commentators as the tipping point , winning Florida is likely to take the victor past 270 College votes .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past six elections but the Democrats have been steadily narrowing the gap .
In 2016 the vote split 51-46 in Mr Trump 's favour .
It was one of only 11 states to show an increased share for the Democrats .
Georgia 's population has seen the fifth fastest growth , particularly around the suburbs surrounding Atlanta which has enhanced Democrat prospects .
The latest state polling suggests a close race with Mr Biden ahead on some projections , Mr Trump on others .
The state has voted with the Republicans in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Trump 's margin of victory , however , was reduced after some voters favoured minor party candidates .
Arizona was one of the few states where Mrs Clinton improved on Barack Obama 's performance , suggesting changing demographics may be assisting the Democrat cause .
People of Hispanic origin , the state borders the Mexican border , account for almost a third of the population and the Democrats will be campaigning to get these registered in time for November 's vote .
There has also been an influx of electors with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports the Democrats .
Mr Trump must surely carry the state if he has any prospect of being re-elected .
Mr Obama carried the state narrowly in 2008 but lost it four years later .
It stayed loyal to the Republicans in 2016 who increased their majority .
Generally , the state has sided with the Republicans with Jimmy Carter 's win in 1976 a notable exception .
The results in 2016 show the Republican victory was based on capturing some counties that voted for Mr Obama .
While current polling shows a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is too close to call .
Voters have supported Republican candidates at every election since 1980 .
In his re-election , Ronald Reagan won two votes for every one cast for his Democrat opponent .
Only Bill Clinton in 1992 came within a chance of victory .
But Texas is changing , with a higher turnout among Hispanic voters becoming evident over recent elections .
The state also has one of the largest concentrations of African Americans and increasing participation by these voters will be crucial to the Democrat cause .
Mr Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling ratings among white college graduates who have been moving into the state in increasing numbers .
Should Mr Biden pull off a famous victory here then it is likely that he could win a landslide in the national election .

The US presidential election on 3 November will be decided, as always, by the "swing states".
Donald Trump's surprise victory in 2016 happened because he won Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin from the Democrats.
Joe Biden's chances of un-seating the incumbent, something that happens rarely in US elections - the last occasion being Bill Clinton's defeat of George Bush in 1992 - require him reversing these losses.
At the same time he must avoid losing any states of his own, including Nevada and Minnesota.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 6:32 How to win a US election
But if the electoral mood turns against Mr Trump the Democrats could threaten Republican states, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.
Should the Democrats win in Texas, however, not even Donald Trump would argue the election was rigged.
Mr Trump currently trails Biden in the national polls but this does not rule out his re-election. Hillary Clinton received almost three million more votes nationally than Mr Trump but still lost.
The national vote does not determine who sits in the White House. It is the 538 members of the Electoral College who do this. The winner needs 270 votes in the college to become president.
Each state is allocated college voters according to its population.
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The smallest states each have three members. The largest states, California and Texas, have 55 and 38 members respectively.
Most states have a "winner takes all" rule, meaning the candidate winning most votes receives all its college votes.
Mr Trump won in 2016 because his votes were better distributed than Mrs Clinton's. He won most votes in 30 states compared with Mrs Clinton's 20, giving him 304 college votes.
The Democrats must learn from mistakes made in 2016. Mrs Clinton's campaign under-estimated Republican support among struggling blue-collar workers in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (the so-called Blue Wall) all of which had been in Democrat hands since at least the 1990s.
Mr Trump's margin of victory in each of these three states was under one percentage point but crucially delivered him 46 college votes - 15% of his final total.
What happens after the polls close is different in the US. While we wait for constituency declarations in the US votes are counted in over three thousand counties.
Regular reports of voting patterns are released throughout the night, enabling media organisations to keep a close eye on proceedings.
When sufficient votes have been declared the main broadcasters will "call" a state for either the Republican or Democrat candidate, awarding them the state's college votes. It is often weeks after the election that the final voting figures become available.
Here we take a look at what each presidential candidate must do in the 12 swing states to win the White House:
The 'Blue Wall'
Michigan (16 college votes)
Captured from the Republicans by Bill Clinton in 1992 the state looked secure for wife Hillary with the Democrats regularly polling over half the votes.
But with some former Democrats moving towards Mr Trump, the Republicans finished ahead.
It was not until a month after the election that the official result was finally declared with the Republican majority of just 10,704 votes.
Key to Mr Trump's upset was his appeal to blue-collar workers who are normally strong Democrats but have suffered badly from the decline in manufacturing, particularly in Detroit.
Although a recent poll gave Mr Trump a one-point lead most forecasts favour Mr Biden to re-take the state.
Counties to watch: Kent, Macomb, Saginaw
Wisconsin (10)
Hillary Clinton never visited the state during her campaign, another of the Democrats' strategic mistakes in 2016.
Just 22,748 votes gave Mr Trump victory here, the first Republican winner since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
The state has seen other cliff-hangers. George W Bush came close, losing by 6,000 votes in 2000 and 11,000 four years later.
Mr Biden should win if Democrat supporters can be persuaded to vote the party ticket this time.
Image: Jacob Blake and Zanetia Blake, father and sister of Jacob Blake, during a rally against racism and police brutality in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Concentrating voters' minds will be the rioting in Kenosha that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake last August and the deployment of the National Guard.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:17 Police shoot man multiple times
Counties to watch: Kenosha; Racine, Winnebago, Brown
Pennsylvania (20)
Democrat controlled since Bill Clinton took it in 1992 the party lost out to Mr Trump by 44,000 votes in a turnout of more than six million voters.
In 2016 this was the tipping point which ensured Mr Trump would become the 45th president.
Although the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh remained loyal to the Democrats, the Republicans won a majority in 56 of the state's 67 counties.
Mr Trump benefited from some Democrats splitting their votes, returning a Democrat for the 17th Congressional District while backing Mr Trump for president.
Winning Pennsylvania meant he passed the important 270 college vote mark and for that reason the state is regarded as among the most important to watch for on election night.
Counties to watch: Berks, Northampton, Erie, Lancaster
Targets for Biden
Ohio (18)
Ohio is a bellwether state, reflecting the national mood as it moves between the two established parties.
It plumped for George W Bush in both 2000 and 2004, then favoured Barack Obama in the two subsequent elections before opting for Mr Trump last time.
No Republican has ever won the White House without winning Ohio. The Republicans won all but eight of the 88 counties in 2016 so the Democrats will not find it easy.
While Mr Biden leads in the national polls some surveys of Ohio's voters show Mr Trump ahead there.
Image: Early voters arrive to cast their ballots inside Franklin County Board of Elections Office in Columbus, Ohio
Most pundits believe Ohio remains too close to call. Should the state remain Republican but Mr Biden becomes president, it will signal the end of Ohio's 66-year record.
Counties to watch: Montgomery, Lake, Delaware, Stark.
Iowa (6)
Mr Trump's victory here was emphatic, beating Mrs Clinton by a margin of ten percentage points.
This was the worst performance for a Democratic party candidate since 1980.
Before Mr Trump's win it had been held by the Democrats since 1988 apart from George W Bush's narrow victory in 2004.
The Republicans won a majority in all but six of the state's 99 counties in 2016. State-wide polling, however, suggests a narrowing Republican lead but current expectations are that Mr Biden will not win here.
Counties to watch: Dubuque, Scott, Black Hawk.
If Biden wins back these target states then he's home and dry, unless the Democrats lose some states they already have.
The Republican campaign has talked up its chances in areas they feel are moving in their direction.
Where could Trump spring more surprises?
Nevada (6)
Mr Trump came within 27,000 votes of winning Nevada.
Before him, no Republican candidate since William Taft in 1908 had failed to win the state on their way to the White House.
Nevada has a knack of siding with the winning side, a record that goes back to 1976.
Although the Republicans easily win the state's rural counties, mostly with large majorities, Democrat strength lies in just two counties - Washoe centred on Reno and Clark which covers Las Vegas - those accounted for more than two-thirds of all votes cast in 2016.
Image: A voter watches on during a drive-in event in Las Vegas
The Republican campaign must appeal to urban voters in these counties, many of whom work in the tourist and hospitality industries badly affected by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Current polling evidence suggests that effort is not working with Mr Trump currently given only a small chance of victory.
Counties to watch: Clark, Washoe
Minnesota (10)
Although the Democrats have won here since 1976 Mr Trump was less than two percentage points from causing an upset in 2016.
Before then, Republican candidates have only won three times since the war - twice supporting General Eisenhower in the 1950s and Richard Nixon in 1972.
Ronald Reagan would have won every state in his 1984 landslide were it not for Minnesota sticking with the Democrats, albeit by fewer than 4,000 votes.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 55:57 Documentary: 8 Minutes and 46 Seconds
About six in 10 voters are crowded into the Minneapolis-St Paul area which favours the Democrats with the remainder widely scattered across Republican-leaning small towns and rural areas.
In 2016 one in ten voters supported smaller parties or independent candidates.
The killing of George Floyd, a Black man from Minneapolis by a white police officer last May, guarantees that race relations will be a key factor in the election.
Image: A memorial honouring George Floyd in Houston, where he grew up
Expect a high turnout here - 75% voted in 2016.
Counties to watch: Hennepin, Ramsey, St Louis.
'Red' states Biden must win over
Florida (29)
Florida, has seesawed between the parties and is critical given its large number of college votes, the third highest of any state.
The candidate winning Florida has become president in every election since 1992.
The contest in 2000 between George W Bush and Al Gore, was settled by the outcome in Florida. After weeks of recounts and an appeal to the Supreme Court, it was finally awarded to Mr Bush.
There was another close finish in 2016 with the two parties separated by a difference of one percentage point.
The key to Mr Trump's victory proved to be his appeal among Cuban-American voters.
Image: Trump and Biden supporters wave flags outside a town hall meeting in Miami, Florida
The state is seen by many commentators as the tipping point, winning Florida is likely to take the victor past 270 College votes.
Counties to watch: Duval, Monroe, Pinellas, St. Lucie
Georgia (16)
This has been in Republican hands for the past six elections but the Democrats have been steadily narrowing the gap.
In 2016 the vote split 51-46 in Mr Trump's favour. It was one of only 11 states to show an increased share for the Democrats.
Image: Voters cast their ballots inside State Farm Arena, Georgia's largest early voting centre
Georgia's population has seen the fifth fastest growth, particularly around the suburbs surrounding Atlanta which has enhanced Democrat prospects.
The latest state polling suggests a close race with Mr Biden ahead on some projections, Mr Trump on others.
Counties to watch: Baldwin, Cobb, Gwinnet, Henry
Arizona (11)
The state has voted with the Republicans in all bar two elections held since the war.
Mr Trump's margin of victory, however, was reduced after some voters favoured minor party candidates.
Arizona was one of the few states where Mrs Clinton improved on Barack Obama's performance, suggesting changing demographics may be assisting the Democrat cause.
People of Hispanic origin, the state borders the Mexican border, account for almost a third of the population and the Democrats will be campaigning to get these registered in time for November's vote.
There has also been an influx of electors with college degrees, a demographic that often supports the Democrats.
Counties to watch: La Paz, Maricopa, Yuma
Trump's must-holds
North Carolina (15)
Mr Trump must surely carry the state if he has any prospect of being re-elected.
Mr Obama carried the state narrowly in 2008 but lost it four years later. It stayed loyal to the Republicans in 2016 who increased their majority.
Generally, the state has sided with the Republicans with Jimmy Carter's win in 1976 a notable exception.
The results in 2016 show the Republican victory was based on capturing some counties that voted for Mr Obama.
While current polling shows a small lead for Mr Biden the state is too close to call.
Counties to watch: New Hanover, Robeson, Watauga
Texas (38)
Voters have supported Republican candidates at every election since 1980.
In his re-election, Ronald Reagan won two votes for every one cast for his Democrat opponent.
Only Bill Clinton in 1992 came within a chance of victory.
But Texas is changing, with a higher turnout among Hispanic voters becoming evident over recent elections.
Image: An election worker accepts a mail-in ballot in Houston, Texas
The state also has one of the largest concentrations of African Americans and increasing participation by these voters will be crucial to the Democrat cause.
Mr Trump's vote is also vulnerable to his falling ratings among white college graduates who have been moving into the state in increasing numbers.
Should Mr Biden pull off a famous victory here then it is likely that he could win a landslide in the national election.
Counties to watch: Denton, Collin, Tarrant


skynewsus--2020-10-26--America Decides: How does the US election work and which way will it swing?

On Tuesday 3 November 2020 the 59th US presidential election takes place – but what will America decide ?
Will @ @ @ @ @ to secure a second term in the White House ?
Or has his Democratic opponent @ @ @ @ @ US voters ?
On this edition of the Sky News Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan @ @ @ @ @ Joe Radinovich and Samuel Mangold-Lenett on what the election means to them and who they @ @ @ @ @ the next four years .
And how does a US election actually work ?
Dermot @ @ @ @ @ of History at the University of Sunderland , Dr Kevin Yuill , to discuss the @ @ @ @ @ our US correspondent Cordelia Lynch gives us her analysis of the election campaign .
Subscribe @ @ @ @ @ Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker

On Tuesday 3 November 2020 the 59th US presidential election takes place – but what will America decide?
Will Donald Trump defeat Joe Biden to secure a second term in the White House? Or has his Democratic opponent done enough to win over US voters?
On this edition of the Sky News Daily podcast with Dermot Murnaghan, we hear from Americans Joe Radinovich and Samuel Mangold-Lenett on what the election means to them and who they want as their commander-in-chief for the next four years.
And how does a US election actually work?
Dermot is joined by Assistant Professor of History at the University of Sunderland, Dr Kevin Yuill, to discuss the American political system - plus our US correspondent Cordelia Lynch gives us her analysis of the election campaign.
Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Daily podcast team:
Podcast producer - Annie Joyce
Podcast producer - Nicola Eyers
Podcast producer - Emma Rae Woodhouse
Podcast producer - Cat Soave
Interviews producer - Oli Foster
Archive - Simon Windsor
Music - Steven Wheeler


skynewsus--2020-10-28--'This site was seized': Trump campaign website hacked

The Donald Trump campaign website has been hacked .
The website 's `` About '' page was briefly replaced by a message which stated : `` the world has had enough of the fake-news spreaded ( sic ) daily by president donald j trump . ''
It appeared to be an unsophisticated scam aimed at collecting cryptocurrency .
There was no clue to the identity of the hacker ( s ) .
The message spoke of access to `` Trump and relatives '' and of `` classified information '' that the `` trump-gov is involved in the origin of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate verification as to the veracity of the message nor , indeed , any evident concern in the Trump campaign .
: : Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker In a statement posted on the Trump campaign website , Communications Director Tim Murtaugh said : `` Earlier this evening , the Trump campaign website was defaced and we are working with law enforcement authorities to investigate the source of the attack .
`` There was no exposure to sensitive data because none of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The website has been restored . ''

The Donald Trump campaign website has been hacked.
The website's "About" page was briefly replaced by a message which stated: "the world has had enough of the fake-news spreaded (sic) daily by president donald j trump."
It appeared to be an unsophisticated scam aimed at collecting cryptocurrency.
There was no clue to the identity of the hacker(s). The message spoke of access to "Trump and relatives" and of "classified information" that the "trump-gov is involved in the origin of the corona virus".
There was no immediate verification as to the veracity of the message nor, indeed, any evident concern in the Trump campaign.
:: Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
In a statement posted on the Trump campaign website, communications director Tim Murtaugh said: "Earlier this evening, the Trump campaign website was defaced and we are working with law enforcement authorities to investigate the source of the attack.
"There was no exposure to sensitive data because none of it is actually stored on the site. The website has been restored."


skynewsus--2020-10-26--Why Martin Luther King III fears a disputed election result and talk of civil war

It 's a sobering thought when the eldest son of Atlanta 's most famous civil rights leader looks you in the eye and tells you American democracy is under threat and he 's worried about the possibility of another civil war .
With just one full week of campaigning in the US elections to go , Martin Luther King III tells us this is the most important election in his lifetime .
`` It 's important largely because of the kind of leadership that the president has provided .
It has not been the leadership to bring people together .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and that division also reverberates around the world . ''
Many of his fears stem from his belief that the country 's commander-in-chief is a racist .
`` None of us can judge what 's really in his heart , '' he says .
`` We can only judge his actions… and the actions certainly , definitely say racist . ''
And those actions have stoked racial divisions in Georgia , he says .
`` I think that he has certainly contributed to it .
It 's almost like he stokes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fluid on a fire . ''
So the election , he believes is vitally important .
`` And it 's not just important for black folk , '' he goes on .
`` It 's important for the whole world . ''
We 're both standing in the shadow of a giant sculpted face commemorating another of the city 's civil rights heroes , John Wesley Dobbs , who was known as the unofficial mayor of Atlanta and founded a number of civil rights organisations .
In the hollow rear of the monument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several men wander past us during the interview looking dishevelled and down on their luck .
`` There are masses of black people still living in poverty , '' Mr King says matter-of-factly .
His father 's dream , in probably his most well known speech , is still far from realised for so many fellow black Americans .
In 1963 , at the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom , Martin Luther King Jr yearned for a different world for his eldest son ( now 63-years-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He dreamed of a day where they would live in a `` nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character '' .
But nearly sixty years on , his eldest living child admits : `` We have n't yet achieved that concept .
We 're still first judged by the colour of our skin . ''
He rattles off a list of black Americans killed at the hands of police - George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , Rayshard Brooks - all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens over and over again , '' he says .
`` Clearly we have n't achieved that level of racial inclusion where you treat everyone the same way . ''
But he insists he 's still optimistic , that he still has hope .
`` Without hope , you would n't be able to go on . ''
Right now , he 's putting all his hopes on his fellow countrymen and women putting an end to the Trump era , otherwise he believes democracy in the `` Land of the Free '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president sometimes acts as if he 's the king or queen or a dictator , '' Mr Luther King III continues , `` and that 's not the way democracy operates .
He acts in a fascist way and that 's what 's so tragic because his supporters do n't seem to see that '' .
: : Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The eldest son of one of Atlanta 's most famous ' residents ( Kanye West appears regularly as THE most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boy , 10 years old , when his father was assassinated in Memphis , Tennessee .
He and his other siblings have spent their lives preserving their father 's legacy .
Right now , that means galvanising people to get out and vote and make a difference .
He 's anxious about voter suppression and about all votes being counted .
Like many black Americans across the country - and in Georgia in particular - he is deeply suspicious about subtle and not so subtle tactics to thwart the black vote which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the rapidly changing demographics here with a large influx of black , Latino and Hispanic workers into the area .
A state which has been traditionally Republican `` red '' for decades appears on the cusp of flipping to Democratic `` blue '' .
Georgians have been experiencing long lines to cast their vote early with some talking about waiting for 11 hours .
Mr King cites problems over voter IDs and how those who do n't use their vote are removed from electoral rolls , sometimes within a matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you do n't drive for five years , you still keep your driving licence .
Why is it different for voting ? ''
He suggests if the election counting is conducted in a completely straight forward manner , there will be a big upset .
`` It is possible we will have turnouts that we 've never seen before , '' he says .
`` And if those votes are counted , I think president Trump will be defeated… if they 're actually counted .
`` If there are issues which could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all counted and a lot are thrown out , then again , he could win .
And that will be very sad . ''
And he 's nervously worried about a disputed election and the chatter about taking up arms .
`` Everyone is buying up guns , '' he says , `` on both sides .
And I 'm very concerned that there 's even talk of civil war .
`` To me that 's a very sad sign… and frightening .
Because you ca n't shoot the problem out . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin Luther King III on the Sky News YouTube channel

It's a sobering thought when the eldest son of Atlanta's most famous civil rights leader looks you in the eye and tells you American democracy is under threat and he's worried about the possibility of another civil war.
With just one full week of campaigning in the US elections to go, Martin Luther King III tells us this is the most important election in his lifetime.
"It's important largely because of the kind of leadership that the president has provided. It has not been the leadership to bring people together. It has been leadership to create division - and that division also reverberates around the world."
Many of his fears stem from his belief that the country's commander-in-chief is a racist. "None of us can judge what's really in his heart," he says. "We can only judge his actions… and the actions certainly, definitely say racist."
And those actions have stoked racial divisions in Georgia, he says. "I think that he has certainly contributed to it. It's almost like he stokes the flames… it's almost like putting lighter fluid on a fire."
So the election, he believes is vitally important.
"And it's not just important for black folk," he goes on. "It's important for the whole world."
We're both standing in the shadow of a giant sculpted face commemorating another of the city's civil rights heroes, John Wesley Dobbs, who was known as the unofficial mayor of Atlanta and founded a number of civil rights organisations.
In the hollow rear of the monument a homeless man is curled up sleeping. Several men wander past us during the interview looking dishevelled and down on their luck. "There are masses of black people still living in poverty," Mr King says matter-of-factly.
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His father's dream, in probably his most well known speech, is still far from realised for so many fellow black Americans.
Image: 'I have a dream' - Martin Luther King Jr at the Lincoln Memorial on 28 August, 1963
In 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Martin Luther King Jr yearned for a different world for his eldest son (now 63-years-old) and his three other children.
He dreamed of a day where they would live in a "nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character".
But nearly sixty years on, his eldest living child admits: "We haven't yet achieved that concept. We're still first judged by the colour of our skin."
He rattles off a list of black Americans killed at the hands of police - George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks - all killed this year. "And this happens over and over again," he says. "Clearly we haven't achieved that level of racial inclusion where you treat everyone the same way."
But he insists he's still optimistic, that he still has hope. "Without hope, you wouldn't be able to go on."
Right now, he's putting all his hopes on his fellow countrymen and women putting an end to the Trump era, otherwise he believes democracy in the "Land of the Free" is seriously at risk.
"The president sometimes acts as if he's the king or queen or a dictator," Mr Luther King III continues, "and that's not the way democracy operates. He acts in a fascist way and that's what's so tragic because his supporters don't seem to see that".
:: Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
The eldest son of one of Atlanta's most famous' residents (Kanye West appears regularly as THE most famous Atlantan) was just a young boy, 10 years old, when his father was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.
He and his other siblings have spent their lives preserving their father's legacy. Right now, that means galvanising people to get out and vote and make a difference. He's anxious about voter suppression and about all votes being counted.
Like many black Americans across the country - and in Georgia in particular - he is deeply suspicious about subtle and not so subtle tactics to thwart the black vote which has become increasingly significant in the Peach State because of the rapidly changing demographics here with a large influx of black, Latino and Hispanic workers into the area.
A state which has been traditionally Republican "red" for decades appears on the cusp of flipping to Democratic "blue".
Georgians have been experiencing long lines to cast their vote early with some talking about waiting for 11 hours.
Mr King cites problems over voter IDs and how those who don't use their vote are removed from electoral rolls, sometimes within a matter of years. He says: "If you don't drive for five years, you still keep your driving licence. Why is it different for voting?"
He suggests if the election counting is conducted in a completely straight forward manner, there will be a big upset.
"It is possible we will have turnouts that we've never seen before," he says. "And if those votes are counted, I think president Trump will be defeated… if they're actually counted.
"If there are issues which could be the case, and they're not all counted and a lot are thrown out, then again, he could win. And that will be very sad."
And he's nervously worried about a disputed election and the chatter about taking up arms. "Everyone is buying up guns," he says, "on both sides. And I'm very concerned that there's even talk of civil war.
"To me that's a very sad sign… and frightening. Because you can't shoot the problem out."
You can see the full interview with Martin Luther King III on the Sky News YouTube channel


skynewsus--2020-10-19--The key issues that could decide who wins the White House

President Trump 's COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalisation , and refusal to participate in the second presidential debate due to the proposed virtual format , have been only the latest astonishing events in the race for the White House .
While from day to day the campaign brings new surprises and controversies - most it needs to be said in relation to the president as his challenger has steered a low profile but focused course - the race had proved remarkably stable as far as voters ' preferences seem to be concerned .
The Democratic Party 's Joe Biden has held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls since early summer .
The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll of registered voters puts him 11-points ahead of Donald Trump - on 53 % to 42 % .
But what will decide the 2020 election ?
Many have argued that US presidential elections are a referendum on the record of the incumbent and their party .
Presidents who lead the country through periods of peace and prosperity tend to win re-election .
Those who preside over economic downturns and military losses or misadventure tend to be punished by the electorate .
Performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the status quo played a part in Donald Trump 's victory .
In the exit poll , 93 % of Trump voters expressed the view that the country was `` seriously off on the wrong track '' , whereas 61 % of Clinton voters considered things were `` generally going in the right direction '' .
As the 2020 campaign nears the finish line , 58 % of the public believe the country is worse off than it was four years ago .
With the Republicans now in control of the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country has now changed hands - with Democrat supporters now more likely to express misgivings about where things are headed .
If 2020 is to be a referendum on the record of the president , voters will have many issues to choose from in deciding their vote .
Normally , a president considered better than their opponent on the economy would be considered a strong favourite for re-election .
But these are not normal times .
While Mr Trump has a 48 % to 41 % lead over Mr Biden on who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the economy , this does not seem to be translating into electoral support .
This may be partly due to the huge economic shock that has occurred due to the pandemic under the Trump administration 's watch - with the unemployment rate currently standing near 8 % and economic growth having fallen more than 30 % in the second quarter of 2020 .
The obvious reason that the economy is not proving pivotal to voters ' choices in this particular election is that President Trump is widely seen to have mishandled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
Even before the virus had spread through the White House like wildfire , the president 's persistent downplaying of the disease , side-lining of expertise and unwillingness to mobilise federal resources in response to the pandemic has gone down poorly with voters .
Joe Biden has a commanding 17-point lead when it comes to who is considered better dealing with COVID-19 .
Mr Trump 's contracting of the virus appears to have done little to reverse this state of affairs .
Some 51 % of people now agree that Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously enough at the beginning and is still not handling well '' , and 44 % still consider him to be `` taking unnecessary risks '' with his own COVID-19 diagnosis .
Another issue that some had claimed would play to Mr Trump 's advantage was the civil unrest following the deaths of black people caused by US police - such as Black Lives Matter protests in response to the killing of George Floyd .
The president 's repeated references to `` law and order '' on social media have made this campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not resulted in any clear advantage for Mr Trump , who trails Biden by four points on who is better when it comes to dealing with crime and violence .
Further , voters widely believe that Mr Biden is better when it comes to dealing with race relations .
It is also telling that the Black Lives Matter movement receives majority support from the US public .
Campaigning on domestic instability has not proved a fruitful strategy for the incumbent .
Foreign policy does not offer a comfortable fall back for the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office , with his Democratic challenger consistently considered better able to handle the issue by voters .
In contrast to 2016 , immigration has barely figured as an issue during the campaign - even though it was a significant factor in the last election .
Not only has the salience of the issue been reduced by the coronavirus pandemic , but a majority of the public has consistently expressed disapproval of the way Mr Trump has handled immigration since taking office .
Joe Biden even has a slight edge over Mr Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do a better job of handling the issue .
The polling also highlights Mr Trump 's longstanding difficulties with an important group of voters - women .
By a margin of 56 % to 25 % , voters believe Mr Biden is better when it comes to addressing issues of concern to women .
It is unsurprising then , that the challenger typically leads in voting intentions by large margins among women .
Perhaps more unexpectedly , Mr Biden has eaten into Mr Trump 's lead with older voters - frequently seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump won by 7 % in 2016 .
The rapid move of Mr Trump and the Republicans in the Senate to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg - and to thereby establish a 6-3 conservative majority on the bench - has been identified by some as a potential way that the incumbent might mobilise the Republican base .
However , there is not broad public support for the seat being filled before Election Day .
: : Subscribe to Divided States on Apple podcasts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spreaker Further the prospect that the court might strike down the 1973 Roe vs Wade ruling on abortion rights and the Affordable Care Act introduced under President Obama is not popular - and the former may further reinforce the difficulties of Mr Trump with women voters .
Joe Biden is again favoured by a margin of 57 % to 41 % as better able to handle the issue of nominations to the Supreme Court .
Filling the vacancy may leave a significant judicial legacy , but it has not yet altered the course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week to go until Election Day , and with many voters having already cast their ballot , time is running out for President Trump .
Every day that the polls remain becalmed is a lost opportunity , and his campaign may become increasingly desperate in its tactics as the odds of an unlikely comeback fade .
At present , the record of the incumbent does not point to re-election : with a stalled economy , more than 210,000 dead from the coronavirus , and an administration itself hit by the outbreak - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It would be foolish to say victory is likely .
Whether it is possible - only time will tell .

President Trump's COVID-19 diagnosis and hospitalisation, and refusal to participate in the second presidential debate due to the proposed virtual format, have been only the latest astonishing events in the race for the White House.
While from day to day the campaign brings new surprises and controversies - most it needs to be said in relation to the president as his challenger has steered a low profile but focused course - the race had proved remarkably stable as far as voters' preferences seem to be concerned.
The Democratic Party's Joe Biden has held a sizeable and steady lead in the polls since early summer. The latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll of registered voters puts him 11-points ahead of Donald Trump - on 53% to 42%.
But what will decide the 2020 election?
Many have argued that US presidential elections are a referendum on the record of the incumbent and their party.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 6:32 How to win a US election
Presidents who lead the country through periods of peace and prosperity tend to win re-election. Those who preside over economic downturns and military losses or misadventure tend to be punished by the electorate. Performance matters.
In 2016, dissatisfaction with the status quo played a part in Donald Trump's victory. In the exit poll, 93% of Trump voters expressed the view that the country was "seriously off on the wrong track", whereas 61% of Clinton voters considered things were "generally going in the right direction".
As the 2020 campaign nears the finish line, 58% of the public believe the country is worse off than it was four years ago.
With the Republicans now in control of the White House, responsibility for the direction of the country has now changed hands - with Democrat supporters now more likely to express misgivings about where things are headed.
Advertisement
If 2020 is to be a referendum on the record of the president, voters will have many issues to choose from in deciding their vote.
Normally, a president considered better than their opponent on the economy would be considered a strong favourite for re-election. But these are not normal times.
While Mr Trump has a 48% to 41% lead over Mr Biden on who is considered better when it comes to dealing with the economy, this does not seem to be translating into electoral support.
This may be partly due to the huge economic shock that has occurred due to the pandemic under the Trump administration's watch - with the unemployment rate currently standing near 8% and economic growth having fallen more than 30% in the second quarter of 2020.
The obvious reason that the economy is not proving pivotal to voters' choices in this particular election is that President Trump is widely seen to have mishandled the key issue of the day - the coronavirus pandemic.
Even before the virus had spread through the White House like wildfire, the president's persistent downplaying of the disease, side-lining of expertise and unwillingness to mobilise federal resources in response to the pandemic has gone down poorly with voters.
Joe Biden has a commanding 17-point lead when it comes to who is considered better dealing with COVID-19.
Mr Trump's contracting of the virus appears to have done little to reverse this state of affairs. Some 51% of people now agree that Mr Trump "did not take the threat seriously enough at the beginning and is still not handling well", and 44% still consider him to be "taking unnecessary risks" with his own COVID-19 diagnosis.
Another issue that some had claimed would play to Mr Trump's advantage was the civil unrest following the deaths of black people caused by US police - such as Black Lives Matter protests in response to the killing of George Floyd.
The president's repeated references to "law and order" on social media have made this campaign tactic very clear.
Yet this has not resulted in any clear advantage for Mr Trump, who trails Biden by four points on who is better when it comes to dealing with crime and violence.
Further, voters widely believe that Mr Biden is better when it comes to dealing with race relations. It is also telling that the Black Lives Matter movement receives majority support from the US public. Campaigning on domestic instability has not proved a fruitful strategy for the incumbent.
Foreign policy does not offer a comfortable fall back for the president, who has pursued an isolationist agenda in office, with his Democratic challenger consistently considered better able to handle the issue by voters.
In contrast to 2016, immigration has barely figured as an issue during the campaign - even though it was a significant factor in the last election.
Not only has the salience of the issue been reduced by the coronavirus pandemic, but a majority of the public has consistently expressed disapproval of the way Mr Trump has handled immigration since taking office. Joe Biden even has a slight edge over Mr Trump in polling on who is most trusted to do a better job of handling the issue.
The polling also highlights Mr Trump's longstanding difficulties with an important group of voters - women. By a margin of 56% to 25%, voters believe Mr Biden is better when it comes to addressing issues of concern to women.
It is unsurprising then, that the challenger typically leads in voting intentions by large margins among women. Perhaps more unexpectedly, Mr Biden has eaten into Mr Trump's lead with older voters - frequently seeing leads among the over-65s group that Mr Trump won by 7% in 2016.
The rapid move of Mr Trump and the Republicans in the Senate to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court left by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg - and to thereby establish a 6-3 conservative majority on the bench - has been identified by some as a potential way that the incumbent might mobilise the Republican base.
However, there is not broad public support for the seat being filled before Election Day.
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:: Subscribe to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
Further the prospect that the court might strike down the 1973 Roe vs Wade ruling on abortion rights and the Affordable Care Act introduced under President Obama is not popular - and the former may further reinforce the difficulties of Mr Trump with women voters.
Joe Biden is again favoured by a margin of 57% to 41% as better able to handle the issue of nominations to the Supreme Court. Filling the vacancy may leave a significant judicial legacy, but it has not yet altered the course of the election.
Now with just a week to go until Election Day, and with many voters having already cast their ballot, time is running out for President Trump.
Every day that the polls remain becalmed is a lost opportunity, and his campaign may become increasingly desperate in its tactics as the odds of an unlikely comeback fade.
At present, the record of the incumbent does not point to re-election: with a stalled economy, more than 210,000 dead from the coronavirus, and an administration itself hit by the outbreak - at a crucial moment in the campaign. It would be foolish to say victory is likely. Whether it is possible - only time will tell.


skynewsus--2020-10-28--Undecided voters like Joan could swing this election, but may leave America more divided

Blue tarpaulin sheets covering the roofs of thousands of homes flap in the warm Louisiana wind as workmen clear away broken tiles and window frames .
Outside the houses , huge piles of sodden carpets , broken electrical appliances , sofas , chairs and beds tumble onto the streets already clogged by fallen telegraph poles and trees .
It 's over two months since Hurricane Laura ripped through the town of Lake Charles , bringing death , destruction and misery that continues today .
This really has not been a good year for the residents of this town known for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been flattened not once but twice by severe hurricanes this season - and the season is not over yet .
In the midst of all this , the town was engulfed by COVID-19 - infecting people and destroying much of the local economy .
Outside the motorhome she now lives in , while she waits for her home to be rebuilt , Joan Arbie shows me her outdoor kitchen , while surveying the destruction that 's affected the homes of all her neighbours .
`` We are grateful for what we have left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has happened to Joan is typical of many people in Lake Charles .
Her partner , Bridget , contracted COVID-19 , their home was destroyed in the hurricanes , she has lost her job and is waiting for the insurance to come through so that she is n't flat broke and can afford the house rebuild .
The thing is Joan is very much not typical to most in this town and indeed across the US , in one crucial and interesting way .
She is an undecided voter .
If the 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it 's that almost everyone has already decided who they will vote for .
: : Subscribe to Divided States on Apple podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , and Spreaker Donald Trump has ensured that there is barely a person in the land who does not either love him or hate him .
There does n't seem to be much middle ground .
Which brings us back to undecided Joan .
What struck me is that Joan 's indecision really weighs upon her mind .
She sees the election as vitally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country 's political and social evolution .
`` I 'm kind of on the fence between being conservative and liberal , but I think some of the things that are being said on the liberal side are more disturbing to me than on the conservative side , so that 's kind of where I am having to make a decision as to who I am going to vote for , and it 's a very difficult decision , and like I said it 's kind of a scary one as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker The truth is , Joan , like thousands if not millions of Americans , is n't too keen on either of the candidates running for the highest office .
A 56-year-old former university athletics coach , with two teenage daughters , lots of friends in the UK and a love of driving holidays , is naturally of a liberal disposition .
But clearly the Democrats in this election appear to be spooking her more than Trump 's often divisive actions and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a feeling who I am going to vote for at this point , but still it just tears at you , you know , what side you 're going to go to , because it 's just so much uncertainty .
I mean someone who has n't been in office they can tell you they 're going to give you the moon but are they capable of that ? ''
She then pauses to think .
Her dilemma is that she 's not sure about Trump either .
`` I think with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go so well he seemed a little you know , a little too aggressive in my opinion in those debates ... it 's been a very difficult decision and it 's actually been really stressful . ''
We join Joan on the final day of early voting in Lake Charles as she drives downtown to vote , still undecided .
Before she gets in the queue I ask her what , for her , is the one crucial issue in this election that she wants to see followed .
`` Freedom , freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for my children , that 's the defining issue for me . ''
Lake Charles , like cities across the country , have seen record numbers of people turning out to vote before election day .
An election official here tells me that 40 % of eligible voters had already done so .
She predicted that after election day more than 80 % will have voted .
What it actually means for the two candidates is being discussed by observers and TV commentators here on an almost continuous basis .
Whatever the polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows what is going to happen .
But people like Joan could be the ones who swing this one way or the other .
After an hour or so in line this clearly jubilant , now decided , voter emerged punching the air .
`` I have been quite nervous , a little scared about it , and I feel a lot better now I am done , now I have cast my vote , and know that I 've been heard .
My one vote may not make a huge difference , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' I ask her if she 'd tell us who she voted for .
`` No , I 'm not telling you who I voted for , it may ruin some friendships , so I ca n't tell you . ''
Her fear of upsetting close family and friends is reflected across the US , a country now arguably more divided than ever before .
The key question is this - will the final result unite them or make things even worse ?

Blue tarpaulin sheets covering the roofs of thousands of homes flap in the warm Louisiana wind as workmen clear away broken tiles and window frames.
Outside the houses, huge piles of sodden carpets, broken electrical appliances, sofas, chairs and beds tumble onto the streets already clogged by fallen telegraph poles and trees.
It's over two months since Hurricane Laura ripped through the town of Lake Charles, bringing death, destruction and misery that continues today.
Image: Lake Charles has been devastated not once, but twice by hurricanes this season
This really has not been a good year for the residents of this town known for its oil and casinos.
It has been flattened not once but twice by severe hurricanes this season - and the season is not over yet.
In the midst of all this, the town was engulfed by COVID-19 - infecting people and destroying much of the local economy.
They feel forgotten.
Outside the motorhome she now lives in, while she waits for her home to be rebuilt, Joan Arbie shows me her outdoor kitchen, while surveying the destruction that's affected the homes of all her neighbours.
"We are grateful for what we have left," she tells me.
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Image: Joan Arbie has doubts about both candidates
What has happened to Joan is typical of many people in Lake Charles.
Her partner, Bridget, contracted COVID-19, their home was destroyed in the hurricanes, she has lost her job and is waiting for the insurance to come through so that she isn't flat broke and can afford the house rebuild.
The thing is Joan is very much not typical to most in this town and indeed across the US, in one crucial and interesting way.
She is an undecided voter.
If the 2020 US presidential election has one overriding characteristic, it's that almost everyone has already decided who they will vote for.
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Donald Trump has ensured that there is barely a person in the land who does not either love him or hate him. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground. Which brings us back to undecided Joan.
What struck me is that Joan's indecision really weighs upon her mind.
She sees the election as vitally important, a defining moment even, in the country's political and social evolution.
"I'm kind of on the fence between being conservative and liberal, but I think some of the things that are being said on the liberal side are more disturbing to me than on the conservative side, so that's kind of where I am having to make a decision as to who I am going to vote for, and it's a very difficult decision, and like I said it's kind of a scary one as well."
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The truth is, Joan, like thousands if not millions of Americans, isn't too keen on either of the candidates running for the highest office.
A 56-year-old former university athletics coach, with two teenage daughters, lots of friends in the UK and a love of driving holidays, is naturally of a liberal disposition.
But clearly the Democrats in this election appear to be spooking her more than Trump's often divisive actions and words.
"Well I kind of have a feeling who I am going to vote for at this point, but still it just tears at you, you know, what side you're going to go to, because it's just so much uncertainty. I mean someone who hasn't been in office they can tell you they're going to give you the moon but are they capable of that?"
She then pauses to think. Her dilemma is that she's not sure about Trump either.
"I think with Donald Trump - his debates didn't go so well he seemed a little you know, a little too aggressive in my opinion in those debates... it's been a very difficult decision and it's actually been really stressful."
Image: Hurricane season is still not over as the election looms
We join Joan on the final day of early voting in Lake Charles as she drives downtown to vote, still undecided.
Before she gets in the queue I ask her what, for her, is the one crucial issue in this election that she wants to see followed.
"Freedom, freedom, and what happens in the future for my children, that's the defining issue for me."
Lake Charles, like cities across the country, have seen record numbers of people turning out to vote before election day.
An election official here tells me that 40% of eligible voters had already done so. She predicted that after election day more than 80% will have voted.
That is astounding.
What it actually means for the two candidates is being discussed by observers and TV commentators here on an almost continuous basis.
Whatever the polls say, in truth, nobody really knows what is going to happen.
But people like Joan could be the ones who swing this one way or the other.
Image: Joan with other early voters in Lake Charles, Louisiana
After an hour or so in line this clearly jubilant, now decided, voter emerged punching the air.
"I have been quite nervous, a little scared about it, and I feel a lot better now I am done, now I have cast my vote, and know that I've been heard. My one vote may not make a huge difference, but it may make some difference."
I ask her if she'd tell us who she voted for.
"No, I'm not telling you who I voted for, it may ruin some friendships, so I can't tell you."
Her fear of upsetting close family and friends is reflected across the US, a country now arguably more divided than ever before.
The key question is this - will the final result unite them or make things even worse?


skynewsus--2020-10-27--Where COVID-19 cases are surging before US election

The 2020 US election has been dominated by the virus , and ahead of polling day cases are surging in most states .
Donald Trump and Joe Biden may disagree about the handling of the pandemic , but the facts are indisputable .
One in every five cases and deaths worldwide has been recorded in the US .
In the past week cases hit a new high , with several states - including crucial battleground states - seeing record infections and deaths .
And unlike in comparable European countries , the number of daily infections did not substantially drop during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is now rising up again since mid-September .
Around half of the US states registered record numbers of of COVID-19 cases during October , with 19 of them in the last week .
The majority with rising cases are safe Republican states , but more than half of the key battleground states have seen cases spike ahead of the election .
Pennsylvania , where polls currently show Joe Biden in the lead , reported a record daily high of 2,751 new cases on Monday .
While in Wisconsin , another key state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to , there was a new daily record of 5,262 infections and 64 deaths .
The map below shows where cases are spiking , with the biggest increases in cases in the midwest and cases under control in safe Democrat states on the east and west coasts .
But cases have been rising faster in other states with lower infection rates , such as New Mexico , where they have doubled in the last two weeks compared to the two weeks before , The positivity rate , the number of cases per 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the states .
The World Health Organisation recommended in May a rate of 5 % to have the epidemic under control .

The US election has been dominated by the virus, and ahead of polling day cases are surging in most states.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden may disagree about the handling of the pandemic, but the facts are indisputable.
One in every five cases and deaths worldwide has been recorded in the US.
In the past week cases hit a new high, with several states - including crucial battleground states - seeing record infections and deaths.
And unlike in comparable European countries, the number of daily infections did not substantially drop during the summer in the US, and it is now rising up again since mid-September.
Around half of the US states registered record numbers of of COVID-19 cases during October, with 19 of them in the last week.
The majority with rising cases are safe Republican states, but more than half of the key battleground states have seen cases spike ahead of the election.
Pennsylvania, where polls currently show Joe Biden in the lead, reported a record daily high of 2,751 new cases on Monday.
While in Wisconsin, another key state that Mr Trump needs to hold on to, there was a new daily record of 5,262 infections and 64 deaths.
The map below shows where cases are spiking, with the biggest increases in cases in the midwest and cases under control in safe Democrat states on the east and west coasts.
But cases have been rising faster in other states with lower infection rates, such as New Mexico, where they have doubled in the last two weeks compared to the two weeks before,
The positivity rate, the number of cases per 100 tests, is also high in almost all the states. The World Health Organisation recommended in May a rate of 5% to have the epidemic under control.


skynewsus--2020-10-28--'The world has had enough': Donald Trump campaign website hacked

The Donald Trump campaign website has been hacked .
The website 's `` About '' page was briefly replaced by a message which stated : `` the world has had enough of the fake-news spreaded ( sic ) daily by president donald j trump . ''
It appeared to be an unsophisticated scam aimed at collecting cryptocurrency .
There was no clue to the identity of the hacker ( s ) .
The message spoke of access to `` Trump and relatives '' and of `` classified information '' that the `` trump-gov is involved in the origin of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate verification as to the veracity of the message nor , indeed , any evident concern in the Trump campaign .
: : Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Spotify , Spreaker In a statement posted on the Trump campaign website , communications director Tim Murtaugh said : `` Earlier this evening , the Trump campaign website was defaced and we are working with law enforcement authorities to investigate the source of the attack .
`` There was no exposure to sensitive data because none of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The website has been restored . ''


skynewsus--2020-10-28--COVID killed Rhonda's father - but she is still '100% Donald Trump'

Politics and the pandemic have converged in America and Wisconsin is the eye of the storm .
The state is now one of the world 's coronavirus hotspots .
Around one in every four people being tested here is COVID-19 positive .
That did n't stop Donald Trump holding a packed rally here on Tuesday .
His vice president then held another rally on Wednesday .
Wisconsin was once considered a reliably Democratic state in America 's rust belt .
A narrow win by Donald Trump in 2016 helped push him over the line and to the White House .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ despite it now being the country 's epicentre for COVID-19 - and views could n't be more polarised .
`` We are all 100 % Donald Trump , '' Rhonda Parker tells me .
`` Most of our friends and family , all but one family we know , we all vote for Donald Trump . ''
Rhonda lost her father to COVID-19 in April .
When she speaks of his quick deterioration and the trauma of being unable to say goodbye she gets emotional - you can see the sense of loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also had the virus and six weeks ago Rhonda tested positive too - her sense of taste still has n't returned .
Even given what Rhonda 's family has been through she would have gone to the president 's Wisconsin rally had it been closer to her hometown of Appleton .
Donald Trump has her unflinching support .
`` I would go .
I would go .
We 're all a firm believer of Donald Trump , '' says Rhonda .
`` My husband and I were just talking about it the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the survival of the fittest .
If you 're going to get it you 're going to get it ...
I mean sure he could have done better but nobody 's perfect .
I 'm not perfect .
He 's not perfect .
But Joe Biden 's not the answer . ''
Working in manufacturing , Rhonda feels her life has benefited under a Trump presidency .
The positives for her outweigh any question marks over his handling of coronavirus .
`` Before this pandemic came up my stocks were skyrocketing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't know what to bid first , we had a lot of work . ''
You do n't need to go far to find the polar opposite view .
Frontline healthcare workers are now bearing the strain of the state 's outbreak .
Close to 90 % of Wisconsin 's intensive care beds are full and a field hospital in Milwaukee has started taking in patients .
The Holy Family Memorial Hospital in Manitowoc invited us to see their ICU which is at capacity .
`` In September it skyrocketed , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I find it maddening .
Some people say it 's going to go away on 4 November .
`` As you see as you came through our hospital , these are not people who are political consequences .
They are real sick people with real viruses and people not wearing masks are leading to more infections .
We are still impacted everyday . ''
Donald Trump ignored pleas from local doctors to cancel Tuesday 's rally in Wisconsin .
Joe Biden still has a clear lead in the polls here and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schedule with just days to go until the election .
COVID outbreaks are already being traced to previous Trump rallies and as the virus escalates in the country , the stock market is tumbling .
While Wisconsin is breaking records for coronavirus , it 's also seeing records for voter turnout .
A state rule means anyone who has voted early and dies of COVID-19 before the election will have their vote discounted .
Wisconsin - already at the forefront of the election battlegrounds - is now America 's COVID frontline too .

Politics and the pandemic have converged in America and Wisconsin is the eye of the storm.
The state is now one of the world's coronavirus hotspots. Around one in every four people being tested here is COVID-19 positive.
That didn't stop Donald Trump holding a packed rally here on Tuesday. His vice president then held another rally on Wednesday.
Wisconsin was once considered a reliably Democratic state in America's rust belt. A narrow win by Donald Trump in 2016 helped push him over the line and to the White House.
His campaign continues to blitz the state despite it now being the country's epicentre for COVID-19 - and views couldn't be more polarised.
"We are all 100% Donald Trump," Rhonda Parker tells me. "Most of our friends and family, all but one family we know, we all vote for Donald Trump."
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Rhonda lost her father to COVID-19 in April. When she speaks of his quick deterioration and the trauma of being unable to say goodbye she gets emotional - you can see the sense of loss is still raw.
Other family members have also had the virus and six weeks ago Rhonda tested positive too - her sense of taste still hasn't returned.
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Even given what Rhonda's family has been through she would have gone to the president's Wisconsin rally had it been closer to her hometown of Appleton. Donald Trump has her unflinching support.
Image: Rhonda Parker's father died from COVID-19 in April
"I would go. I would go. We're all a firm believer of Donald Trump," says Rhonda.
"My husband and I were just talking about it the other day. It's kind of like the survival of the fittest. If you're going to get it you're going to get it... I mean sure he could have done better but nobody's perfect. I'm not perfect. He's not perfect. But Joe Biden's not the answer."
Working in manufacturing, Rhonda feels her life has benefited under a Trump presidency. The positives for her outweigh any question marks over his handling of coronavirus. "Before this pandemic came up my stocks were skyrocketing, our company was doing great. We didn't know what to bid first, we had a lot of work."
Image: Ronnie Parker, from Hortonville in Wisconsin, died from COVID-19 in April
You don't need to go far to find the polar opposite view.
Frontline healthcare workers are now bearing the strain of the state's outbreak. Close to 90% of Wisconsin's intensive care beds are full and a field hospital in Milwaukee has started taking in patients. The Holy Family Memorial Hospital in Manitowoc invited us to see their ICU which is at capacity.
"In September it skyrocketed," says chief nursing officer Tom Veeser. "I find it maddening. Some people say it's going to go away on 4 November.
"As you see as you came through our hospital, these are not people who are political consequences. They are real sick people with real viruses and people not wearing masks are leading to more infections. We are still impacted everyday."
Image: People queue at the biggest coronavirus testing site in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Donald Trump ignored pleas from local doctors to cancel Tuesday's rally in Wisconsin. Joe Biden still has a clear lead in the polls here and the president is sticking to a relentless rally schedule with just days to go until the election.
COVID outbreaks are already being traced to previous Trump rallies and as the virus escalates in the country, the stock market is tumbling.
While Wisconsin is breaking records for coronavirus, it's also seeing records for voter turnout. A state rule means anyone who has voted early and dies of COVID-19 before the election will have their vote discounted.
Wisconsin - already at the forefront of the election battlegrounds - is now America's COVID frontline too.


skynewsus--2020-10-28--Biden says 'no excuse' for Philadelphia looting as he casts ballot in presidential election

Joe Biden has criticised ongoing unrest and looting in Philadelphia after casting his vote in the US presidential election .
The Democratic candidate made the comments on Wednesday at a polling station in Wilmington , Delaware , where he was accompanied by his wife Jill .
He told reporters there was `` no excuse whatsoever '' for the chaos in Philadelphia , which was sparked earlier this week after a black man was shot dead by police officers .
`` There is no excuse whatsoever for the looting and violence , none whatsoever , '' Mr Biden said , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , totally reasonable '' .
Walter Wallace Jr was shot dead by Philadelphia officers on Monday in an incident caught on camera by a bystander , and which has since been shared widely .
Officers are seen firing several times at the 27-year-old in the footage after they yell at him to drop a knife .
According to family lawyer Shaka Johnson , the father-of-nine 's relatives had called for an ambulance rather than the police to get him help with a mental health crisis .
He said the officers had known about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family home three times on the day he was shot .
In response , hundreds of people have taken part in two nights of protests in Philadelphia that have ultimately descended into violence .
On Tuesday evening , several protesters threw rocks , light bulbs and bricks at officers near a police station , while looters were also spotted ransacking shops .
Mr Wallace 's father has since criticised the violence , saying he wanted people to show his family and the city `` some kind of respect '' as the unrest had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words were also echoed by Mr Biden as he left the polling station on Wednesday , stressing the protesting was `` reasonable , '' but that rioting was not .
He said : `` I think that the looting is , just as the father said : 'Do not do this , you 're not helping , you 're hurting , you 're not helping my son . '
'' Mr Biden is currently leading in US polls with just under a week to go until election day next Tuesday .
His rival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battling against increased public disappointment at his handling of the coronavirus pandemic , cast his vote last Saturday in Florida , a battleground state .

Joe Biden has criticised ongoing unrest and looting in Philadelphia after casting his vote in the US presidential election.
The Democratic candidate made the comments on Wednesday at a polling station in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was accompanied by his wife Jill.
He told reporters there was "no excuse whatsoever" for the chaos in Philadelphia, which was sparked earlier this week after a black man was shot dead by police officers.
Image: Protesters set fire to a sofa on the second night of demonstrations
"There is no excuse whatsoever for the looting and violence, none whatsoever," Mr Biden said, adding that peaceful protesting was "totally legitimate, totally reasonable".
Walter Wallace Jr was shot dead by Philadelphia officers on Monday in an incident caught on camera by a bystander, and which has since been shared widely.
Officers are seen firing several times at the 27-year-old in the footage after they yell at him to drop a knife.
According to family lawyer Shaka Johnson, the father-of-nine's relatives had called for an ambulance rather than the police to get him help with a mental health crisis.
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He said the officers had known about the crisis because they had visited the family home three times on the day he was shot.
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In response, hundreds of people have taken part in two nights of protests in Philadelphia that have ultimately descended into violence.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:46 Walter Wallace Jr's son: 'Racist cops got my dad'
On Tuesday evening, several protesters threw rocks, light bulbs and bricks at officers near a police station, while looters were also spotted ransacking shops.
Mr Wallace's father has since criticised the violence, saying he wanted people to show his family and the city "some kind of respect" as the unrest had been "uncalled for".
Image: Mr Biden and his wife Jill have cast their ballots in Delaware
These words were also echoed by Mr Biden as he left the polling station on Wednesday, stressing the protesting was "reasonable," but that rioting was not.
He said: "I think that the looting is, just as the father said: 'Do not do this, you're not helping, you're hurting, you're not helping my son.'"
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:50 Moments before black man's shooting by police
Mr Biden is currently leading in US polls with just under a week to go until election day next Tuesday.
His rival, President Donald Trump, who is battling against increased public disappointment at his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, cast his vote last Saturday in Florida, a battleground state.