Kamala Harris keeps small lead over Donald Trump in final Economist/YouGov election poll
Vice President Kamala Harris is leading Former President Donald Trump by more than one percentage point in a new Economist/YouGov poll out Wednesday, further indicating a close race.
The poll of 1,446 registered voters showed 47% of registered voters either planned to vote for Harris or had already voted for her, while 46% indicated they supported Trump. Due to rounding, the gap is actually closer to two percentage points, the poll stated. Harris' lead among registered voters is within the poll's margin of error (± 3.4 percentage points).
The poll was conducted from Oct. 26 to Oct. 29 and is the final Economist/YouGov poll planned before the election.
"For a large share of voters, their election is over: 40% say they have voted already either by mail or absentee ballot or in person at a polling place ? slightly higher than the 37% of registered voters who say they will cast their ballot at the polls on Election Day," the findings state. The poll also shows those planning to vote in-person favor Trump while those voting by mail favor Harris.
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Things to keep in mind about polling
A poll's margin of error describes how accurately we can count on the survey results being representative of the entire population.
When a candidate's lead is "inside" the margin of error, it is considered a "statistical tie," according to Pew Research Center.
Pew has also found the majority of pollsters have changed their methods since the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, where Trump's performance was significantly underestimated.
National polls usually indicate the candidates' standing for the popular vote, but the election will likely be decided by seven swing states due to the Electoral College system. A recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll of the swing states also indicates the candidates are in a tied race.
Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected], and follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Economist/YouGov presidential election poll: Harris with slim lead