Early-voting surge scrambles Election Day expectations as some states gallop toward 2016 turnout lev

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

After weeks of early and mail voting, at least 66 million Americans have already cast their ballots for next week’s election, a historic figure that has upended expectations about Election Day and which states could decide the presidential contest.

The massive number, which includes voters who have cast ballots either in person or by mail, has stunned election officials and campaign operatives. It equals close to half of the total turnout in 2016 — all but ensuring, with early voting continuing through the weekend, that the majority of ballots will be cast before Election Day for the first time in history.

The overwhelming demand to vote now — which has led to long lines nationwide — reflects a widespread sense of urgency to chart the country’s course over the next four years, despite the voting challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. And it puts this year’s election on pace for a historic rate of participation not seen since the early 1900s.

For now, the early numbers overwhelmingly favor Democrats in 16 of 19 states that provide such data. But the gap between Democratic and Republican voters has narrowed in recent days in several battleground states, and the campaigns of President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden noted that more Republicans are expected to vote on Nov. 3, Election Day, than Democrats, according to numerous polls.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/early-vote-2020-election/2020/10/27/ce31f7ba-17b2-11eb-82db-60b15c874105_story.html

[SWBTATTReg]

1. I'm one of them, along w/ my friends, going in person to vote at our local polling place...we never

have to wait and the lines if any go very quickly. Over 1/2 a million Missourians have already voted early (Wow!).

I mainly go to perhaps see some friends and neighbors of mine at the polling places (been in the neighborhood for 40 years) so it's nice, get to spend a few minutes catching up on news etc.

This time around, I'm doubly going to ensure that my vote cast in person, will not get lost or mislaid via the US Mail (the leader of the US Mail should be arrested and charged w/ election tampering).