Voting in the Age of COVID-19: Americans Cast Early Ballots in Presidential Election

The US presidential election, in which current President Donald Trump is facing Democrat nominee Joe Biden, is set for 3 November. Early voting has already started in some states.

More than 60 million Americans have already cast early ballots in the US presidential election scheduled for 3 November, data from the US Elections Project showed on 26 October. Of those, more than 40 million votes were cast via mail-in ballots. Nearly 20 million people turned up in masks for early in-person voting that got underway in New York and other states on 25 October, weeks after mailed-in ballots began trickling in.

Social and mainstream media were flooded with pictures and videos of people allegedly queueing for hours to vote.

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A voter casts an early ballot at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, 26 October 2020.

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People queue up to vote early at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, 26 October 2020.

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A person during an early vote at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, 26 October 2020.

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People during an early vote at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, 26 October 2020.

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People wait patiently to vote early at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, 26 October 2020.

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Writing is seen on the pavement as people line up to vote at an early site at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, US, 26 October 2020.

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Megan Dominy pulls Brielle Taylor(L) 1, and Lila Taylor, 4, while offering water and snacks to people queueing to cast their vote at an early voting location in the Smyrna Community Center on 24 October 2020, in Smyrna, Georgia. Neighbours and volunteers were handing out water and snacks to the masked voters waiting patiently in line to cast their ballots on a hot October day in the Atlanta suburb of Smyrna.

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People prepare to vote early at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, 26 October 2020.

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A roll of "I Voted" stickers is seen next to a packet of alcohol wipes at a drive-through early voting site in the City Hall parking lot in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US, 23 October 2020.

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People prepare to vote early at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, 26 October 2020.