United States: early voting begins in Florida, crucial state in Trump-Biden duel
A voter casts their ballot in Orlando, Florida on October 19, 2020. REUTERS / Octavio Jones
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
In Florida, the largest of the key presidential states, the incumbent president and Democratic candidate are neck and neck in the polls.
Publicity
Read more
Nearly 30 million Americans have already cast their ballots for the Nov. 3 presidential election, as voters in Florida gathered outside polling stations on Monday, on the first day of early voting in the state considered crucial for the outcome of the ballot.
"
This typical wet day in South Florida did not discourage voters on Monday
," writes the
Miami Herald
: voters "
arrived at the polls before dawn
", wearing "
ponchos - and masks - and holding umbrellas
”, and posting on social networks the photos of these queues that sometimes went around the block.
Long lines to #vote in Alachua County, Florida on the first day of in-person early voting # Election2020 #VoteEarly pic.twitter.com/Fh2xCDF7sW
Stephen C. Phillips (@scvphillips) October 19, 2020
According to the daily, more than three million people are expected to vote in Florida before election day, in person.
Trump in Arizona, Harris in Florida
Fifteen days before the poll, the tenant of the White House went to Arizona, another highly coveted state, on Sunday to continue his marathon of meetings started a week ago after having assured to be "
cured
" of Covid-19 .
“
People are fed up with hearing about the pandemic,
” hammered Donald Trump, preferring not to dwell on this health crisis which, according to him, is about to end.
A few hours earlier, in a telephone exchange with members of his campaign team, he had once again attacked
Dr. Anthony Fauci
, a highly respected member of his own coronavirus crisis unit.
People "
are tired of hearing Fauci and all those idiots,
" he said, as the pandemic has claimed nearly 220,000 lives in the United States.
► To read also:
Donald Trump makes fun of Doctor Fauci and attracts criticism even in his camp
The Democratic candidate had no public meeting on his agenda, devoting the day, according to American media, to the preparation of the last televised debate, scheduled for Thursday.
It was Joe Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris, who made the trip to Florida, returning to the field campaign four days after suspending it due to cases of coronavirus in his entourage.
She traveled to Orlando and Jacksonville to call for this in-person vote in advance.
Early voting is being scrutinized with particular attention this year, as it continues to break records, sometimes giving rise to long queues in the states where it started.
By D-15, more than 29 million Americans across the country have already voted by mail or in person, which at this point could represent nearly a fifth of total turnout, according to the independent organization Elections Project.
Moreover, reports the
Washington Post
, if according to the Democratic Party of Florida, Democrats are leading in postal voting in this state, for Republicans, voting "in person" marks the start of a surge in their vote. left.
(With agencies)
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
United States
Donald trump
Joe biden
On the same subject
US presidential election: in Michigan, the divided Muslim community
US presidential election: Joe Biden earns a record of donations