First early votes cast in crucial US presidential election

The first early voters cast their ballots on Friday for November’s closely contested US presidential election, as Democratic candidate Kamala Harris headed to a campaign event centred on the contentious issue of abortion.

Three US states – Virginia, Minnesota, and South Dakota – began early voting, a practice that Republican nominee Donald Trump has previously questioned, having falsely claimed he won the 2020 election.

Dozens of people waited at an early voting station in central Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, as observed by AFP journalists.

Several wore “Harris-Walz” shirts, while “Trump-Vance” signs were also visible outside the building.

“I’m excited,” said 55-year-old Michelle Kilkenny, adding that voting early, “especially on day one, helps the campaign and boosts enthusiasm.”

Most US states allow in-person or mail-in voting to accommodate voters who may face scheduling conflicts or are unable to vote on the official election day, 5 November.

Former president Trump has frequently criticised alternatives to on-the-day voting, repeatedly blaming mail-in ballots for his 2020 defeat by Joe Biden – while also at times casting doubt on early voting, despite efforts by his campaign to encourage it.

Trump, 78, faces criminal charges for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election result, following which his supporters stormed the US Capitol on 6 January 2021.

‘Dangerous consequences’

Every vote is expected to matter in what is likely to be a very close 2024 White House race, with Trump once again refusing to commit to accepting the election result.

Harris has closed the gap on Trump after dramatically replacing President Biden as the Democratic candidate in July but remains neck and neck with the Republican.

The vice president is travelling to Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday – one of seven swing states predicted to be crucial in determining the election – to address the key issue of reproductive rights.

Harris has made the subject a central theme of her campaign, believing Trump is vulnerable due to his frequent boasts that his Supreme Court appointments paved the way for the 2022 overturning of the national right to abortion.

At least 20 states, including Georgia, have since introduced full or partial abortion bans.

Her campaign announced she would “speak about the dangerous consequences of Trump’s abortion bans.”

She is also expected to highlight the deaths of two women in Georgia due to delayed medical care resulting from the state’s restrictive measures, as reported by ProPublica.

‘Sprint to the finish’

Harris met the family of one of the women, Amber Nicole Thurman, during a glamorous campaign event hosted by US chat show star Oprah Winfrey on Thursday.

The high-profile event in Michigan, another key battleground state, featured several Hollywood supporters, including actors Jennifer Lopez, Meryl Streep, and Julia Roberts.

Meanwhile, Trump – scheduled to attend a fundraiser in Miami on Friday – adopted a more sombre tone at an anti-Semitism event in Washington on Thursday.

“If I don’t win this election… in my opinion, the Jewish people will have a lot to do with that loss,” Trump said, repeating his long-standing grievance that Jewish voters have traditionally supported the Democrats.

Republicans also face difficulties in another battleground state, North Carolina, after their gubernatorial candidate resisted calls to withdraw following reports that he referred to himself as a “Black Nazi” on a pornographic website.

As his term nears its end in January, Biden continues his farewell tour.

The 81-year-old president was set to host a White House
meeting on Friday to “direct his cabinet to sprint to the finish,” according to an official.

Later, he will begin welcoming the leaders of Australia, India, and Japan – the so-called Quad – to his home in Wilmington, Delaware, as a final act of support for the alliance he has championed as a counterbalance to China.

AFP