Some people can already start casting their ballots in the 2024 presidential race while both candidates continue to hit the campaign trail as Election Day gets closer.
Widespread early voting started Friday in Minnesota, South Dakota and Virginia.
Here’s what to know:
- Candidate schedules: Vice President Kamala traveled to Georgia on Friday to deliver remarks on women’s reproductive rights before going to Wisconsin for a campaign event, where she emphasized to voters that it will be a “tight race until the very end” ahead of November’s election. The Harris campaign has been highlighting Dane County as a crucial part of its path to victory in the key battleground state. On Saturday, former President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina. Both Democratic and GOP presidential running mates Tim Walz and JD Vance are in battleground Pennsylvania today.
- Scandal fallout: North Carolina lawmakers reacted to the scandal surrounding gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson, following CNN’s reporting about his extreme and graphic comments on an adult website. Republican Rep. Greg Murphy and Democratic Rep. Jeff Jackson both said it could affect other elections in the state, while Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross said Robinson is “not fit to be governor.” Harris’ campaign launched a new ad seeking to tie Trump to Robinson.
- Jewish voters: Second gentleman Doug Emhoff condemned Trump for “scapegoating Jews” after he suggested Jewish voters would be partially responsible if he loses November’s election. Trump has repeatedly said Jewish voters who plan to support Harris “should have their head examined.”
- Voting: With some early voting already underway, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy pledged Thursday that the US Postal Service will undertake “heroic efforts” to deliver all mail ballots on time this year. In Georgia, the election board approved a controversial new rule that requires counties to hand count the number of ballots cast on Election Day. The FBI is also investigating suspicious packages that were sent to election offices in more than 20 states this week.
- Presidential protection: The House unanimously voted Friday to pass a bill bolstering Secret Service protection for major presidential and vice presidential candidates. The bill’s fate is unclear in the Senate, in part because many Democrats in the chamber have pointed to the enhanced security already in place for Trump.
