Harris, Trump in dead heat across swing states - poll

US Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump remain in a tight contest across seven battleground states with just over two weeks until the presidential election, a new opinion poll has suggested.

Ms Harris led among likely voters in Georgia 51% to 47%, while Mr Trump was slightly ahead in Arizona with 49% to 46%, according to the Washington Post/Schar School poll.

Both findings fell within the plus or minus 4.5 percentage points margin of error in the poll, which surveyed 5,016 registered voters from 30 September to 15 October.

Ms Harris, who became the party's candidate after President Joe Biden stepped aside in July, also had an edge in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin - three states where she will campaign later with Republican former US Representative Liz Cheney.

Mr Trump led in North Carolina and was tied with Ms Harris in Nevada 48% to 48%, according to the poll.

The former president will hold a rally in North Carolina this evening after surveying recent damage from Hurricane Helene.

Mr Trump is making his third consecutive White House bid after losing to Mr Biden in 2020. He continues to falsely blame widespread voter fraud and faces federal and state criminal charges over efforts to overturn the election results, among other charges. Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

Ms Harris is a former San Francisco prosecutor, state attorney general and US senator seeking to rebuild the party's diverse coalition of young voters, women and people of colour as well as pick up some Republicans disillusioned with Mr Trump.

The poll findings echoed other recent polls that found a neck and neck race in the seven battleground states ahead of Election Day on 5 November, even as Ms Harris holds an edge nationwide, according to some surveys.

Overall, 49% of likely voters said they support Ms Harris and 48% backed Mr Trump, the Post poll showed. Among registered voters, Reuters/Ipsos polling last week found Ms Harris holding a steady, marginal 45% to 42% lead over Mr Trump.

However, state-by-state results of the Electoral College will determine the winner of November's contest.

The seven battleground states are likely to decisive, with surveys of their likely voters offering an indication of the race so far.