WASHINGTON - NEW polls out on Thursday show Democrat Barack Obama holding or increasing his lead over Republican John McCain in key battleground states as undecided voters make up their minds just days before the presidential election.

The CNN-Time magazine poll of states both candidates see as must-wins showed Mr Obama expanding his lead among likely voters in Pennsylvania to 12 per cent (55-43 per cent) from nine percent in mid-September, and holding his four-point lead in Ohio (51-47 per cent), where Mr McCain will campaign on Thursday.

In North Carolina, which the Republicans only a few months ago believed was solidly on their side, Obama's lead expanded to six points (52-46 per cent) from four points nine days ago and a 49-49 per cent tie at the beginning of October.

And in Nevada, another state formerly reliably Republican, the CNN/Time poll found likely voters backing Mr Obama in the November 4 vote by a 52-45 per cent spread, compared to 51-46 per cent nine days ago and 51-47 per cent one month ago.

The only relatively good news for McCain was that in his home state of Arizona, he kept up his seven-point lead (53-46 per cent).

The poll covered between 1,011 and 1,062 people in each state interviewed between October 23 and October 28. -- AFP