The presidential and legislative elections will be held in eight days, but
58 million citizens
have already cast their early vote, a figure that could reach 100 million by November 3, according to an estimate by NBC News, that is,
the double that in the 2016 elections
.
Black voters and young people
are largely driving this early ballot record, in an electoral contest with issues like the coronavirus pandemic, racial equality and the economic crisis at stake.
But you may also be noticing the increased access in many states to early voting and by mail to avoid
the risks of the coronavirus
.
Since the polling stations opened, long lines of citizens willing to wait up to an hour or more can be seen.
Many are also choosing to send their ballot by mail, a system that has been described by the Republican candidate as fraudulent,
without any proof
.
The period for early voting begins in New York
Oct. 25, 202000: 28
Thus, the number of early votes is already eight million more than those registered in 2016. At this rate, it is projected that there will be between 90 and 100 million votes before the day of the presidential election, on November 3.
This is twice as many votes as four years ago when Trump faced Democrat Hillary Clinton.
The estimate was made by TargetSmart, a Democratic political data firm that provides voting data to NBC News.
[Follow our coverage of the 2020 presidential elections]
Polls indicate that a large part of these voters
are supporting the Democratic candidate
, Joe Biden, although in recent days
the gap is narrowing
.
Republican voters have started going to the polls in person, according to the Associated Press.
The change could be a sign that Republican voters
are
heeding the president's unfounded
warnings
about postal system fraud.
The fight between democrats and republicans to win the last vote grows
Oct. 25, 202000: 18
The overwhelming turnout of Democrats before the election would also be a pressure for Republicans to get their voters to the polls this week, analysts say.
That's especially clear in hotly contested states like Florida, Nevada, and North Carolina.
Record numbers in key states
In Pennsylvania, about 1.4 million people have already cast their vote early or absentee.
In 2016, only 200,000 citizens had opted for this option.
The same is true in Michigan and Wisconsin, which register almost twice the early votes compared to the last presidential election.
In 2016, narrow victories in these three states allowed Trump to reach the White House.
Residents of West Chester County in Pennsylvania line up to vote on Friday.
AP
[The vote of the 'silent majority' in 2020: will it surprise again in these elections?]
Other key states such as Texas, Georgia and Ohio have also exceeded their early voting records from the past elections.
In Texas, 40% of the electorate have already cast their vote.
In North Carolina, Texas, Florida, Georgia and Arizona more people have voted early than in 2016 total.
The renewed momentum at the polls
Young
people have a historical interest
in this contest, according to a survey of Americans aged 18 to 29 and published Monday by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School.
The number of young people who say they will “definitely” vote in 2020 far exceeds the numbers recorded in this poll in the last two decades.
"Young Americans recognize that issues that affect their everyday lives are on the ballot, from health care and mental health to racial and social justice," said Institute Director Mark Gearan.
Social networks promote the Latino vote and are protagonists of politics
Oct. 24, 202001: 39
African-Americans
also seem particularly involved
in this election.
In interviews with CNN, many said they are concerned about racial injustice and police brutality, in a year marked by uprisings on the country's streets following the violent death of George Floyd.
Additionally, black voters indicated that they feel undervalued by a president who has hesitated to condemn white supremacy, and fear losing health benefits if the Supreme Court repeals the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
[How to vote by mail: what you need to know to make your voice count this November]
The pandemic has also disproportionately affected the black population, which suffers high death rates.
It is estimated that many may be casting their ballots by mail or in person early to avoid the crowd lines on Election Day.
Last week, for instance, more than 601,000 blacks had voted early in Georgia, compared to some 286,240 who did so at the same time in 2016.
The undecided: there are 12 days until the election and they still do not know who they will vote for
Oct. 23, 202004: 03
Will there be a vote record? Not necessarily
Some analysts have predicted that the United States will have the largest turnout in decades in 2020, but if you look back at history, you might think that a large portion of citizens will probably not vote this year.
The low levels of participation have been, in part, a sign of distrust and disillusionment with the political system.
Since the 1960s, between one-third and one-half of eligible voters have stayed at home during presidential elections, one of the lowest rates among developed peers in America, according to The New York Times.
These children promote the importance of voting through postcards made by them
Oct. 23, 202002: 53
An analysis of the Census data from the 2016 elections also shows a deep class divide.
Americans who did not vote were more likely to be poor and single parents, and less likely to have a college degree and a job.
In each election, between 35% and 60% of the citizens who can vote do not, according to a study by the informative website FiveThirtyEight.
There are a wide variety of reasons, including that the system does not make it particularly easy to vote, and confidence in the validity of the vote itself.
With information from NBC News, Associated Press, CNN, The New York Times and FiveThirtyEight.