Five states, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, Oregon, and Rhode Island, have joined the rest of the country in kicking off the early voting process for the 2024 election. This brings the total number of states and Washington, D.C., to 49 that have started early voting. In Iowa, a volunteer was seen sanitizing a voting booth at a polling location for the 2020 presidential election.
Nevada, a state that has been a battleground and traditionally Democrat, has been a key player in presidential politics. The state has voted for every Democrat running for president since 1992, with the exception of the two elections where President Bush was on the ballot. Despite this, the average margin in those eight elections is only 4.1 points. With just six electoral votes at stake, Nevada could play a crucial role in the election outcome. The state is home to the “Reid Machine,” a voter turnout operation named after the late Senate leader Harry Reid, which mobilizes Democrat-leaning voters, especially Hispanic and unionized hospitality workers in Las Vegas.
In Iowa, a state that was once highly competitive but voted for Trump by eight points in 2020, early voting has also begun. The state is dominated by White working-class voters who shifted to Trump in his first run for office and have not returned. A recent survey showing Harris trailing Trump by four points in Iowa suggests that flipping the state would be a challenging task.
Apart from the presidential election, key downballot races are also taking place in early voting states. In Iowa’s 1st District, GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks faces a tough challenge from Democrat candidate Christina Bohannan. In Nevada’s 3rd District, Democrat Rep. Susie Lee is up against Republican Drew Johnson. Oregon’s 5th District is also seeing a close race between GOP Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Democrat challenger Janelle Bynum.
For those looking to cast their votes early, here’s a guide on how to do so in each state. In Iowa, early in-person voting is available from October 16 to November 4, while in Nevada, early in-person voting starts on October 19 and runs through November 1. Kansas residents can vote early in-person in some counties starting on October 16, and in Rhode Island, early in-person voting begins on Wednesday and continues through November 4. Oregon, on the other hand, does not offer in-person early voting.
As the early voting process kicks off in these states, it is crucial for eligible voters to familiarize themselves with the registration and voting procedures to ensure their voices are heard in the upcoming election.