To analyze the impact of switching electoral votes in states based on the 2020 presidential election results, we first need to identify the key states. The 2020 election resulted in Joe Biden winning 306 electoral votes to Donald Trump's 232 electoral votes.
Let's consider the major battleground states that were pivotal in determining the outcome:
- Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) - Biden won.
- Georgia (16 electoral votes) - Biden won.
- Arizona (11 electoral votes) - Biden won.
- Michigan (16 electoral votes) - Biden won.
- Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes) - Biden won.
If we were to switch the electoral votes of these states to the loser (Trump), we could recalculate:
- Biden's new total: 306 - (10 + 16 + 11 + 16 + 20) = 233 electoral votes
- Trump's new total: 232 + (10 + 16 + 11 + 16 + 20) = 272 electoral votes
In this scenario, if we switch the electoral votes for the states where Biden won (Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania), Trump would end up with 272 electoral votes, while Biden would have 233.
This switch changes the outcome of the election. Originally, Biden won with 306 electoral votes, but with the switched totals, Trump would win with 272 electoral votes, marking a significant shift in the final outcome.
In summary, switching the electoral votes of key battleground states where Biden won would indeed change the outcome of the 2020 election—specifically, states like Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania were crucial in Biden’s victory, and flipping those would have handed Trump the presidency.