The result of the US presidential election is hanging on the vote count in a handful of key states, with the race too close to call so far.
Democrat Joe Biden has multiple paths paths to victory with his 264 electoral votes — including Michigan and Wisconsin — compared to 214 for President Donald Trump, who would need to take all the remaining states.
In order to win, 270 electoral votes are required. Those votes are divided up proportionately among the states.
As it stands, there are five states still left uncalled, including major prizes such as Pennsylvania and key small state Nevada, as well as Georgia, North Carolina and Alaska.
Much of the delay has resulted from a flood of mailed-in ballots due to the coronavirus — and those types of votes have tended to favor Democrats.
If Biden’s lead in Arizona holds, and he wins Nevada and its six electoral votes as expected, he will have 270 electoral votes and can claim victory.
Should Trump hold North Carolina and Georgia but lose Arizona, he must take Biden’s home state of Pennsylvania as well as Nevada to win. Simply winning Pennsylvania — or even Pennsylvania as well as Alaska and its three electoral votes, as expected — will not be enough.
The paths to victory become more murky should some of the expected outcomes change.
