Updated Oct 25, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Early voting eclipses 2016 total with 9 days until election

Fadel Allassan

An early voting line. — People stand in line to vote early in Fairfax, Virginia in September. Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

Americans have cast more than 58.6 million ballots in the 2020 presidential election, surpassing the total early-vote count for 2016 with 9 days left until Election Day, according to an AP tally.

Why it matters: The election is already underway, as many states have expanded early and mail-in voting options because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Between the lines, via Axios' Stef Kight: Early voting data signals strong Democratic enthusiasm in key battleground states. But strategists for both parties say Republicans could still overtake that advantage with a surge of in-person turnout on November 3.

Go deeper:

Dem group warns of apparent Trump Election Day landslide
92% of battleground state voters are "extremely motivated to vote"

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct a Washington Post error that had the U.S. surpassing its 2016 early-voting tally three days early.

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Early voting eclipses 2016 total with 9 days until election

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