Biden at 253/264 electoral votes, Trump at 214: US media

WASHINGTON: Democratic presidential challenger Joe Biden on Thursday edged toward the magic number of 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House, but several battleground states were still in play, as incumbent President Donald Trump cried foul over the ongoing vote count.

As it stands, there are five states still left uncalled, including major prizes such as Pennsylvania, and key small state Nevada -- meaning both Trump and Biden still have a path to victory.

US media outlets have projected wins for the Republican incumbent in 23 states including big prizes Florida and Texas, as well as Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio -- all states he won in 2016.

Biden has captured 22 states including his home state Delaware and big prizes California and New York, as well as the US capital.

The former vice president has flipped three states won by Trump in 2016 -- Michigan, Wisconsin and, according to two sources, Arizona.

In the case of Arizona, Fox News and the Associated Press have already called the race in Biden's favor, putting him at 264 electoral votes. Politico and The Wall Street Journal are also using this figure.

But other networks including CNN and NBC News have held back thus far from calling Arizona, giving him a total of 253.

Nebraska split its electoral votes between the two candidates -- four for Trump and one for Biden. Maine was won by Biden, but he seized only three of the four electoral votes on offer, with the last allocated to Trump.

So far, that gives Biden 264 electoral votes (or 253 without Arizona) and Trump 214.

If Biden holds on in Arizona, and wins Nevada, he would reach 270.

The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media including CNN, Fox News, MSNBC/NBC News, ABC, CBS and The New York Times.

TRUMP (214)

   Alabama (9)
   Arkansas (6)
   Florida (29)
   Idaho (4)
   Indiana (11)
   Iowa (6)
   Kansas (6)
   Kentucky (8)
   Louisiana (8)
   Maine (1)***
   Mississippi (6)
   Missouri (10)
   Montana (3)
   Nebraska (4)**
   North Dakota (3)
   Ohio (18)
   Oklahoma (7)
   South Carolina (9)
   South Dakota (3)
   Tennessee (11)
   Texas (38)
   Utah (6)
   West Virginia (5)
   Wyoming (3)

BIDEN (253/264)

   Arizona (11)*
   California (55)
   Colorado (9)
   Connecticut (7)
   Delaware (3)
   District of Columbia (3)
   Hawaii (4)
   Illinois (20)
   Maine (3)***
   Maryland (10)
   Massachusetts (11)
   Michigan (16)
   Minnesota (10)
   Nebraska (1)**
   New Hampshire (4)
   New Jersey (14)
   New Mexico (5)
   New York (29)
   Oregon (7)
   Rhode Island (4)
   Vermont (3)
   Virginia (13)
   Washington (12)
   Wisconsin (10)

STATES NOT YET CALLED

   Alaska
   Arizona (*)
   Georgia
   Nevada
   North Carolina
   Pennsylvania

Arizona has been placed in the Biden column by the Associated Press and Fox News, but other networks including CNN and NBC News have said the race is still too close to call.

Nebraska splits its five electoral votes -- two electors are assigned based on the plurality of votes in the state, and the other three are awarded based on congressional district. Biden took one vote, in the 2nd congressional district.

Maine has a similar method to Nebraska. Of its four electoral votes, three have been projected for Biden, while the fourth went to Trump.