Early Voting Underway in Several US States
Election day may be officially set for November 5, but early voting has already begun in several states across the US. Tens of millions of Americans are expected to cast their ballots before the official polling day. In-person voting started on Friday in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia, while other states like Alabama and Wisconsin have begun mailing absentee ballots to voters who requested them. The practice of early voting gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic four years ago when over 100 million Americans voted before election day.
Outside a government building in Arlington, Virginia, Democratic party activists expressed their enthusiasm for early voting. One volunteer stated that they wanted to win in October rather than waiting until November 5 as a psychological tactic to show their strength in numbers. Meanwhile, Republican volunteers were also present outside polling stations encouraging people to vote early.
Early voting allows campaigns and political parties to focus their efforts on individuals who have not yet cast their ballots by updating records showing who has already voted. However, it has become a divisive issue among Republicans due to former President Trump’s claims of election fraud and his preference for in-person voting on election day.
While it remains uncertain if this election cycle will set a new record for early voting turnout, experts predict that the trend will continue from previous years’ midterm elections when nearly half of voters cast their ballots before election day.
In Arlington County alone, within the first hour of polls opening on Friday morning, there was already a queue stretching onto the second floor of the government building where people eagerly waited to vote. The county heavily favors Democrats and supported Joe Biden by an 81-17 margin over Donald Trump in 2020.
early voting provides an opportunity for citizens across various states to exercise their right to vote conveniently and efficiently ahead of time.
