Voters in the handful of states expected to decide the US election wield outsized power in whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris becomes the next president.
Here are what some voters in the key battleground states told AFP ahead of the November 5 election:
Pessimism in Nevada
Leticia Chaparro, a 62-year-old bed and breakfast employee in the town of Dyer, said she sees “lots of division” now and voiced concerns about the future.
“I want better life for everybody, because I’m really scared for the kids, for the future.”
“The new generations, you know, I feel sorry for them.”
Stamp dealer Nadia Beekun of Goldfield, who gave her age as “too much,” expressed frustration at the choice, but said she hopes people can begin “working together.”
“Right now, I don’t like any of the candidates that we have been offered.”
“It is going to have to be a choice of who is a lesser of all evils, and I don’t know who that is yet.”
“I’m going to have to hold my nose and choose.”
Abortion and prices in Arizona
At 18, medical student Madeline Tena, who identifies as Latina, will be casting her first vote for Kamala Harris, saying women’s rights was a key factor.
“I’m worried about women’s rights, and especially women’s healthcare. It’s like, they’re already trying to take away our right for an abortion, what else can they take away? What’s next?”
“I’m going to vote for Kamala because based on what I’ve seen on social media, Kamala looks a lot better than Trump. She’s just really well read and looks a lot better than Trump. He looks really childish sometimes.”
Graduate student Whitney Brown, a 35-year-old African American, similarly said abortion rights played a key role in her decision.
“The main thing for me is abortion rights, so I’ll vote for Kamala.”
“I have two daughters, they’re now 11 and 13, and I want them to be able to have autonomy over their own body when they grow up, and not have the government in the exam room with them.”
On the other hand, health sciences student Drew Roby says he will probably vote for Trump, expressing concerns about high prices but reservations over some of the ex-president’s radical supporters.
“This is my first election, but I’m not really pumped up,” said the 21-year-old African American.
“I’m probably gonna roll with Trump, because I see how the country’s been run for the past four years, and honestly it was better when he was president.”
“Life is very expensive now, between rent, groceries and gas, I don’t have much to spend on myself.”
“I worry about hate and racism spreading in this country.”
“I only have a choice between Trump and Kamala, so I’m going for his policies, but Trump has crazy fans that really take it too far.”
Immigration in Michigan
Brenda Adams of Sterling Heights, a 53-year-old hospital worker and part-time bakery employee, will be casting her ballot for Trump after switching from Democrat to Republican four years ago.
“A lot of that has to do with border patrol and inflation.”
“Things have not changed at all in the last four years. It’s gotten worse. So hopefully this year we can make a difference.”
“I hope the prices of food, grocery, gas, hopefully things start to level out.”
‘Do what’s right’ in North Carolina
Shelley Hughes, 64, of Swannanoa, a mountain town impacted recently by a major hurricane, said she has some concerns about Trump but would still be voting for him.
“I don’t care for a lot of things that he’s done in the past, or even his personality sometimes,” but “I just feel like he’s going to do a better job.”
“I just always feel like he’s going to do what’s right, regardless of what other people in government tell him. He’s not a puppet.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Source: What’s On The Minds Of US Voters Across The Country
