As we near the end of the presidential election cycle, polling indicates a remarkably close contest between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump as early voting is in effect.

The most recent polls published on Friday reveal a slight lead for Harris according to a Tipp poll, while an Emerson College Polling survey shows a marginal advantage for the vice president as well. Conversely, the last poll from the New York Times and Siena College found them tied in the popular vote.

As each candidate campaigns in crucial battleground states across the country, they are making final appeals to voters.

Here’s what you should know about the presidential polling as of Friday, Oct. 25:

Harris and Trump Tied at 48% in Final NYT/Siena Poll

The latest New York Times and Siena College poll shows that Trump and Harris are evenly matched in the popular vote at 48% each.

This survey, which included 2,516 likely voters nationwide, was conducted from Oct. 20 to Oct. 23 and has a margin of error of ±2.2 percentage points.

These results suggest the race has tightened since an earlier Times/Siena poll in early October, which had shown Harris with a three-point advantage over Trump, although this shift falls within the margin of error.

“A significant debate, two assassination attempts on Trump, dozens of rallies in seven battleground states, and heavy spending on advertisements appear to have had minimal impact on the race’s direction,” noted the Times.

Harris Maintains Lead in New Hampshire but Trails Biden

In a fresh Emerson College Polling survey, Harris is leading Trump by a narrow three percentage points among New Hampshire voters.

The poll conducted among 915 voters shows Harris with 50% support compared to Trump’s 47% just under two weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Taking into account undecided voters, Harris’ backing rises to 51%, according to the survey.

This poll has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points and was conducted from Monday to Wednesday.

The survey found that 34% of respondents identified the economy as the most pressing issue in the upcoming presidential election. Another 26% highlighted housing affordability, while 10% pointed to threats to democracy.

New Hampshire has leaned Democratic in recent presidential races, yet Harris’s support among voters is declining compared to what President Joe Biden received in 2020 when he secured 52.8% of the votes.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton narrowly won the state over Trump, receiving 46.8% of the votes to his 46.5%, according to RealClear Polling.

Emerson’s poll indicated that more than half of New Hampshire voters (53%) view Harris favorably, while 47% have an unfavorable opinion of her. Trump’s favorability rating stands at 47%, with 53% expressing an unfavorable view of him.

“The margin among women voters for Harris is consistent with Biden’s 2020 performance, but male voters have shifted by approximately two points towards Trump,” commented Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “Moreover, Harris is not performing as well among independent voters compared to Biden’s 2020 numbers, where Harris leads by 13 points, whereas Biden had a significantly larger margin.”

Harris at 50%, Trump at 47% in Tipp’s Tracking Poll

As of Friday morning, Harris is ahead of Trump by three percentage points in Tipp’s Tracking Poll.

This survey, conducted with 1,260 likely voters from Oct. 21 to Oct. 23, shows Harris at 50% and Trump at 47%, with a margin of error of 2.8%

Tipp reports that both candidates’ support has varied within a three-point range over the last 10 days.

“This consistent yet narrow margin indicates a volatile electorate, where every vote counts,” Tipp emphasized.

Bloomberg Poll Indicates Candidates are Tied in Swing States

A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll conducted recently shows the candidates are virtually tied among likely voters in seven swing states.

Across all these battleground states, Harris slightly leads Trump with 49.1% to 48.5%, within the one-point margin of error. This data comes from a survey of 5,308 registered voters conducted from Oct. 16 to Oct. 20 across Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Bloomberg reported that Harris has outperformed Trump on personal attributes like mental fitness, honesty, and compassion, helping her appeal to dissatisfied Republicans. However, many voters still view Trump as experienced, patriotic, and a strong leader.

Increasing Gender Gap in Harris vs. Trump Race

Recent polls indicate that the gender divide is widening significantly.

According to the latest YSL News/Suffolk University national poll, women strongly support Harris, 53% to 36%, while men overwhelmingly back Trump, 53% to 37%. If these trends persist leading up to Election Day, this would mark the largest gender disparity recorded since the gender gap first appeared over 40 years ago in 1980.

Both men and women emphasize the economy and inflation as key issues this election year, although men prioritize it slightly more, with 34% compared to 26% among women.

Following that, women view abortion and women’s rights as a significant concern at 17%. In contrast, men rank these issues much lower, in seventh place, with just 2% mentioning them.

Important points regarding polling

The margin of error indicates how closely we can trust the survey results to accurately represent the broader population.

A lead is recognized as a “statistical tie” when it falls “within” the margin of error, as stated by Pew Research Center.

Pew has additionally noted that most pollsters have updated their techniques since the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, during which Trump’s performance was notably underestimated.

This article has been revised to include new information.