early voting begins in three states

On Friday, voters in Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia began casting their ballots in person for the United States presidential election. Other states are expected to begin the process in October, marking the beginning of a crucial period for the 2024 election.

Changes in the presidential race and increased election security

The vote comes amid a tumultuous political climate that has seen Joe Biden withdraw from the presidential race, replaced by Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party's nominee. States are also ramping up security to protect poll workers and polling places after a spike in harassment and threats since the 2020 election. Election officials including Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon have expressed their hope that the election will be held with high turnout and few incidents.

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_{Kamala Harris and Donald Trump at the September 10 debate (Photo: production/Win McNamee/GettyImage)}

North Carolina delays mailing of ballots

Initially scheduled to be the first state to send out mail-in ballots on September 6, North Carolina delayed the process due to independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. dropping out to endorse Donald Trump. As a result, Alabama became the first state to send out ballots, and North Carolina began mailing them last Friday.

Voters cast their ballots early to avoid problems on election day

Some voters prefer to vote early to avoid possible problems or riots on the official election day, as highlighted by Chris Burda, from Minneapolis, for G1 who is encouraging friends to vote early “to avoid interruptions or intimidation by observers of a certain party”. In response to this climate of tension, electoral authorities across the country are stepping up security measures to protect employees and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

Featured photo: Voters casting their ballots in the United States (Photo: Paul J. Richards/Getty Images)