Advocates champion early voting as a way to make elections more inclusive, but the practice has faced false fraud claims. In the US, states like Minnesota, South Dakota, and Virginia have already started in-person advanced voting, with many others allowing mail-in voting. Advocates argue that early voting helps people with disabilities, time constraints, work commitments, and travel plans to cast their ballots. It also creates enthusiasm, as seen with Taylor Swift’s upcoming concert in Florida coinciding with the start of early voting. Early voting logistics vary across states, with mail-in voting being the most common option.
In the 2020 election, more than 100 million Americans voted before election day, setting a record. Early voting has traditionally been popular among Americans living abroad, members of the military, and individuals with disabilities. However, early voting, especially mail-in voting, faced controversy in 2020 due to unfounded claims of election fraud. Democrats tend to vote by mail, leading to a “blue shift” in results as mail-in votes are counted. Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed fraud in the mail-in voting system, which led to new restrictions on early voting in some states.
Despite the controversy, both Republicans and Democrats are embracing early voting in the upcoming election. Trump’s false claims of a stolen election in 2020 have not deterred the Republican Party from supporting early voting this year. Early voting remains a crucial aspect of US elections, allowing more people to participate and shaping the course of future elections.
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