Some people waited hours today to cast their ballot as Virginia kicked off early voting. The Washington Post writes:
In heavily Democratic Fairfax County, the state’s largest jurisdiction, the wait had stretched to four hours by midday, officials said. By noon, 300 people had cast their ballots, county officials said, with at least 300 more standing outside on the government center front lawn, several camped out on lawn chairs.
“Oh well,” said Janine Marie Gillis upon being told about the wait when she arrived at the end of the line.
Gillis and several other voters at the end of the line said they were energized about the chance of voting out President Trump.
On the first day of early voting, lines at the Fairfax County Government Center are out the door (but don’t worry, there are many more days left to vote early and more locations will open in October). #Election2020 pic.twitter.com/HaR06mAYO5
— Fairfax County Government 🇺🇸 (@fairfaxcounty) September 18, 2020
CNN’s Kristen Holmes spoke with people in Fairfax, Virginia about why voters were so eager to vote today. She reported that one poll worker told her she has never seen a turnout this big for early voting.
Hundreds of voters line up in Virginia as the first day of early in-person voting begins in the state.
“I don't trust the mail right now,” one voter tells @KristenhCNN. “…If I got to stand here all day, I'm going to vote today.” https://t.co/0c6Nesht4Z pic.twitter.com/mG7Yj2DWpf
— CNN (@CNN) September 18, 2020
Virginia residents can vote early up until Saturday, October 31 (watch more from the CBS in Richmond above).
Early voting also began Friday in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Minnesota. As the Minneapolis Star-Tribune points out, both candidates are traveling to the key swing state today:
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s first trip to Minnesota as a presidential candidate will find him in Duluth for an afternoon tour of a union training center. Roughly 150 miles to the west, President Donald Trump is dropping into Bemidji for a dinnertime rally at the local airport.
A recent poll found that 39% of those voting in Minnesota planned to participate in early voting.