The race to the White House could not be any more unclear. With young voters unhappy with their options and the narrow gap in national and state polls, this debate could shift the tide for President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump.

According to ABC’s polling analysis team, 538, debates matter a whole lot more in closely divided presidential battles than you might think: “On average, polls have moved by 2.4 points in the two weeks after the first presidential debate of each cycle.”

And with Trump and Biden neck-and-neck, 2.4 points could make all the difference. Read the full analysis here.

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Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat speaks during a press interview at the district attorney’s office in Atlanta on Friday, July 12, 2024. Public safety officials presented findings from a report on repeat offenders. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com