Long lines are being seen at polling places in swing states across the country as Election Day 2016 has finally arrived.
While every vote is important, there are some states that seem to always get the most attention when they are classified as a swing state, or a state that can swing an election.
Most of those states have large Electoral College vote counts, but that’s not always the case. Some are more important to the strategy of busting up the opponents ‘firewall” of states or states considered safely in a candidate’s victory column.
With an election where nothing seems predictable, both Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton have campaigned in the traditional battleground states, but they are also showing up in states where, traditionally, their party’s candidates don’t spend much time.
Here’s a look at some of the 2016 swing states, what makes them important in this race, and the latest election information from and about them.
Colorado
Electors: 9
Red or Blue: Colorado has voted for Republican presidential candidates in four of last seven elections; the state has two Democratic senators.
Today's news: Purple State Memo: Republicans hold lead in Colorado early voting entering Election Day
Latest poll: Clinton is ahead of Trump by 2.9 percentage points according to the Real Clear Politics Average of polls.
What should you know: Gun sales are up in Colorado ahead of the election. Colorado authorities have approved 265,817 background checks for gun purchases through September, a Colorado National Radio story said. It's a 15 percent increase compared to the same time period a year ago.
Florida
Electors: 29
Red or Blue: Florida voted for Republican presidential candidates in four of the last seven elections.
Today's News: Florida leads all states with 6.4 million early votes
Latest poll: According to the RCP Average of polls, Trump is ahead by 0.2 percentage point.
What should you know: Florida is a popular state when it comes to elections or unpopular, depending on the point of view. With 29 electoral votes, the state is a huge prize. Trump had made 23 campaign stops in the state, while Clinton has been there 18 times.
Iowa
Electors: 6
Red or Blue: Iowa has voted for Democratic presidential candidates in six out of last seven elections.
Today's news: GOP hopeful a Trump win could indicate Iowa turning red
Latest poll: Trump is ahead of Clinton in polls there by 3 percentage points, according to the RCP Average poll. The Des Moines Register's poll has Trump ahead by 7 points.
What should you know: Hillary Clinton narrowly won the Iowa Democratic caucuses with 49.84 percent of the vote. Ted Cruz won the Iowa Republican caucuses with 27.7 percent of the vote. Barack Obama carried Iowa in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.
Minnesota
Electors: 10
Red or Blue: Minnesota voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in last seven elections; it has two Democratic senators.
Latest news: Many Minnesota voters pounce on chance to cast ballots early
Latest poll: Clinton up by 10 percentage points, according to the RCP Average poll.
What should you know: From the Minnesota Star Tribune: "Minnesota voters are split over whether GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump was right to raise concerns about the election being rigged against him. Statewide, 47 percent of those polled think Trump was wrong to question the legitimacy of the U.S. election system, and 43 percent think his criticism is on target.
Nevada
Electors: 6
Red or Blue: Nevada voted for Democratic presidential candidates in four of last seven elections.
Today's news: Nevada GOP Chair Cries Election Fraud In Early Voting
Latest poll: Trump is up by 0.8 percentage points in Nevada, according to the RCP Average poll.
What should you know: Bill Clinton is campaigning in Nevada where women voters are nearly evenly divided over the choice between Trump and Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton has asked casino owners to let employees off work so they can go vote.
New Hampshire
Electors: 4
Red or Blue: New Hampshire voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in five of last seven elections.
Today's news: Trump takes 32-25 lead in New Hampshire after midnight voting
Latest poll: Clinton leads Trump by 0.6 percentage points in the RCP Average poll.
What should you know: Trump has gained ground in typically blue-leaning New Hampshire. The state's four Electoral College votes would help Trump a great deal by putting a dent in Hillary Clinton's "Blue Wall" – the states she feels safe and needs to protect her Electoral College lead.
North Carolina
Electors: 15
Red or Blue: North Carolina voted for Republican presidential candidates in six of last seven elections. The state went Democratic during the 2008 election voting for Barack Obama.
Today's news: Trump and Clinton Tied in Final Upshot Poll of North Carolina
Latest poll: Trump is ahead 1 percentage point in the RCP Average poll.
What should you know: President Barack Obama campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the state on Wednesday, and told those there it was important to vote – very important. "We don't win this election if we don't win North Carolina," Obama said. "I hate to put a little pressure on you, but the fate of the republic rests on your shoulders.
Virginia
Electors: 13
Red or Blue: Virginia voted for Republican presidential candidates in five of the last seven elections. They have two Democratic senators.
Today's news: Poll: Clinton holds 6 point lead over Trump in Virginia
Latest poll: Clinton leads Trump by 5 percentage points in the RCP Average poll.
What should you know: Hillary Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, is a sitting senator from Virginia. The state has been thought to be more in Clinton's camp until recent polling. The Atlantic has published an article posing the question, "Is Donald Trump outflanking Hillary Clinton?" The article looks at the notion Clinton may have overestimated her hold on the states most central to her strategy – Virginia included.
Wisconsin
Electors: 10
Red or Blue: Wisconsin voted for a Democratic president in last seven elections
Today's news: Nearly 800,000 early votes cast so far in Wisconsin
Latest poll: Hillary Clinton is up by 6.5 percentage points in Wisconsin, according to the RCP Average poll.
What should you know: Wisconsin is the home of Republican Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House. Ryan, however, did not appear with Trump when he made a campaign swing through the state last week.
Updated Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 at 8:47 a.m.
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