The Deciders: Meet the voters defining America's politics

The Deciders: Meet the voters defining America's politics

Clearwater, United States Photography by Reporting by
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A retiree worried about his granddaughter's future in Pinellas County, Florida. A factory worker in Racine County, Wisconsin, who doubts politicians will improve her life as a single mother.

. Roseto, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder
Kurt Zuhlke, 63, a resident of Northampton County, said: "In 2016, I wanted to throw the wrench into the gears and make sure that everybody realised that something is really wrong in this country."

A Boy Scout leader willing to cross party lines to revive his blue-collar town in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. A gay, Latino college student in Maricopa County, Arizona, preparing to cast his first presidential ballot.

. Largo, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder
John Lenges, 65, a resident of Largo, said: "I'd like to give him at least another four years." Before Trump announced his presidential bid, Lenges was a Democrat. He mostly tuned out politics and had never voted for a Republican president. "It was a wakeup call," he said. "Our country needed a turn."

These voters live in some of the most competitive counties in America's presidential battleground states, places set to play an outsized role in the 2020 presidential election. All four counties were decided by four percentage points or less in 2016 and ultimately won by Donald Trump.

. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder
Alexis Rodriguez, who lives in Maricopa County, was too young to participate in Trump's first election. Now 19, he came of age politically as Trump's conservative presidency seemed to take aim at his identities as young, gay and Latino. "It scares me to this day, just knowing that I may be under attack," he said.

Trump's path to a second term will test an electoral map he realigned. He must hold the strong support of the white, working-class voters who helped him capture Florida and Pennsylvania.

. Racine, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder
In 2016, Stacy Baugh, a Democratic voter and single mother, did not trust Trump or Hillary Clinton to deliver on her wishes and skipped the presidential contest even as she cast her ballot in other races. "Either one of them in office, there wouldn't have been any change," Baugh said. "So why?"

He will aim to build on his narrow victory in Wisconsin, which saw a decline in turnout among predominately Democratic black voters. And he is fighting to keep the onetime Republican stronghold of Arizona in his column as population shifts have put the state in play for Democrats.

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Slideshow

Empty land surrounds the Roadrunner Lake Resort in the Maricopa County city of Scottsdale, Arizona.
. Scottsdale, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Empty land surrounds the Roadrunner Lake Resort in the Maricopa County city of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Adrian Moreno and his son Adrian ride his horse Kilo past an auto repair shop in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Adrian Moreno and his son Adrian ride his horse Kilo past an auto repair shop in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

A cactus stands alongside antennas on top of South Mountain in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

A cactus stands alongside antennas on top of South Mountain in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Clouds are reflected in a mirror in the downtown area of the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Clouds are reflected in a mirror in the downtown area of the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Pedestrians walk past a former hotel building in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Pedestrians walk past a former hotel building in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Worshippers arrive for Sunday Mass at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Worshippers arrive for Sunday Mass at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Comic Fest participants are reflected in the side mirror of a car as they walk down a sidewalk in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Comic Fest participants are reflected in the side mirror of a car as they walk down a sidewalk in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Thirteen-year-old Young Marines Lance Corporal Salvador Velazquez salutes after planting a U.S. flag at the grave of a U.S. military veteran in preparation for Memorial Day at the Green Acres Cemetery in the Maricopa County city of Scottsdale, Arizona.
. Scottsdale, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Thirteen-year-old Young Marines Lance Corporal Salvador Velazquez salutes after planting a U.S. flag at the grave of a U.S. military veteran in preparation for Memorial Day at the Green Acres Cemetery in the Maricopa County city of Scottsdale, Arizona.

A sign for Republican U.S. Senator Martha McSally and U.S. President Donald Trump stands in a field in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

A sign for Republican U.S. Senator Martha McSally and U.S. President Donald Trump stands in a field in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Anita Jones, a member of the Combat Dolls and a U.S. Navy veteran, welcomes the friends and family members of U.S. military veterans to the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on Memorial Day at RidersUSA's Flags for Our Fallen rally in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Anita Jones, a member of the Combat Dolls and a U.S. Navy veteran, welcomes the friends and family members of U.S. military veterans to the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on Memorial Day at RidersUSA's Flags for Our Fallen rally in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

The Combat Dolls pose for a photograph on a crane at the Flags for Our Fallen rally to welcome the friends and family members of U.S. military veterans to the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on Memorial Day in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.
. Phoenix, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

The Combat Dolls pose for a photograph on a crane at the Flags for Our Fallen rally to welcome the friends and family members of U.S. military veterans to the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona on Memorial Day in the Maricopa County city of Phoenix, Arizona.

Customers order at Rolberto's Taco Shop in the Maricopa County city of Mesa, Arizona.
. Mesa, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Customers order at Rolberto's Taco Shop in the Maricopa County city of Mesa, Arizona.

A handwritten sign reading "Hillary for Jail" hangs on a partially constructed home on the outskirts of the Northampton County city of Easton, Pennsylvania.
. Easton, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

A handwritten sign reading "Hillary for Jail" hangs on a partially constructed home on the outskirts of the Northampton County city of Easton, Pennsylvania.

The blast furnaces of the now-closed Bethlehem Steel mill sit behind row houses and a cemetery in the Northampton County city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
. Bethlehem, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

The blast furnaces of the now-closed Bethlehem Steel mill sit behind row houses and a cemetery in the Northampton County city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The now-closed Portland Generating Station, owned by GenOn Energy sits along the Delaware River in the Northampton County, Slate Belt township of Upper Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania.
. Upper Mt. Bethel, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

The now-closed Portland Generating Station, owned by GenOn Energy sits along the Delaware River in the Northampton County, Slate Belt township of Upper Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania.

Bangor High School hosts a junior varsity high school baseball game between Bangor and Northwestern Lehigh in the Northampton County, Slate Belt town of Bangor, Pennsylvania.
. Bangor, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Bangor High School hosts a junior varsity high school baseball game between Bangor and Northwestern Lehigh in the Northampton County, Slate Belt town of Bangor, Pennsylvania.

A pedestrian walks past a former Pick'n Save grocery store in Racine, Wisconsin.
. Racine, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

A pedestrian walks past a former Pick'n Save grocery store in Racine, Wisconsin.

Community organiser Corey Prince gets a haircut from Timothy Carthron in Racine, Wisconsin. Describing his get out the vote work, Prince said: "We had to instill hope that had been taken away from people. We had to convince people why their vote mattered, and that their vote would matter, and what could happen if all of our votes mattered as a collective, what could we do as a collective block unifying our voices though our vote."
. Racine, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Community organiser Corey Prince gets a haircut from Timothy Carthron in Racine, Wisconsin. Describing his get out the vote work, Prince said: "We had to instill hope that had been taken away from people. We had to convince people why their vote mattered, and that their vote would matter, and what could happen if all of our votes mattered as a collective, what could we do as a collective block unifying our voices though our vote."

Charlene Mayfield sings during Sunday church services at Zoe Outreach Ministries in the Racine County town of Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin.
. Mt. Pleasant, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Charlene Mayfield sings during Sunday church services at Zoe Outreach Ministries in the Racine County town of Mt. Pleasant, Wisconsin.

Eduardo Luis plays soccer with friends under a water tower in Racine, Wisconsin.
. Racine, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Eduardo Luis plays soccer with friends under a water tower in Racine, Wisconsin.

People play shuffleboard at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, which began in 1924, in the Pinellas County city of St. Petersburg, Florida.
. St. Petersburg, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

People play shuffleboard at the St. Petersburg Shuffleboard Club, which began in 1924, in the Pinellas County city of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump hold a sign waving rally on a sidewalk in the Pinellas County city of Clearwater, Florida.
. Clearwater, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump hold a sign waving rally on a sidewalk in the Pinellas County city of Clearwater, Florida.

Brian Feist cuts a man's hair in Brian's Barber Shop on Main Street in the Pinellas County city of Safety Harbor, Florida.
. Safety Harbor, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Brian Feist cuts a man's hair in Brian's Barber Shop on Main Street in the Pinellas County city of Safety Harbor, Florida.

Beach goers watch the sunset at the Paradise Grille on Pass-A-Grille Beach in the Pinellas County city of St. Pete Beach, Florida.
. St. Pete Beach, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

Beach goers watch the sunset at the Paradise Grille on Pass-A-Grille Beach in the Pinellas County city of St. Pete Beach, Florida.

A sign for guns, gold and a Catholic Church stands in the Pinellas County city of Pinellas Park, Florida.
. Pinellas Park, UNITED STATES. Reuters/Brian Snyder

A sign for guns, gold and a Catholic Church stands in the Pinellas County city of Pinellas Park, Florida.

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