In-person early voting kicked off Friday in Minnesota, Virginia, and South Dakota, marking the start of the six-week countdown to the 2024 US presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on November 5.

The early voting period follows a tumultuous summer in US politics. President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, making way for Harris as the Democratic nominee. Meanwhile, Trump, the Republican nominee, survived two assassination attempts—one in Pennsylvania on July 13 and another in Florida on September 15.

In-person early voting allows registered voters to cast ballots at certified polling stations across the US ahead of Election Day. This option provides an opportunity to avoid long lines or schedule voting at a more convenient time. While most states offer early voting, Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not. Additionally, many states provide mail-in early voting options.

States set to offer in-person early voting in the coming weeks include Illinois (Sept. 26), Montana and Nebraska (Oct. 7), Indiana and Wyoming (Oct. 8), Arizona (Oct. 9), Georgia (Oct. 15), and Iowa (Oct. 16).

This year, the Republican Party has embraced early voting more than in previous elections, despite Trump’s past skepticism about the process. Democrats, who have historically utilized early voting, are continuing to encourage voters to take advantage of the option. In 2018, Democrats accounted for 41% of early votes compared to 35.1% for Republicans, and they extended their early vote lead in 2022, securing 42.5% of early ballots versus 33.8% for Republicans, according to data from the US Elections Project at the University of Florida.

Both parties are campaigning vigorously across key states in the lead-up to Election Day. Harris has framed Trump as a threat to democracy, while Trump has presented himself as a necessary figure to "save" the country from Democratic leadership.

As political experts emphasize the importance of this election, early voting is expected to play a crucial role in determining the next President of the United States. (ILKHA)