Early voting is breaking records in the United States.

More than 50 million Americans have already voted in advance for the presidential election that pits Joe Biden against Donald Trump, according to the US Elections Project count on Friday.

This year, many voters preferred to slip their ballot in advance into the ballot box to avoid the crowds on election day, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

According to this count established by the University of Florida, more than 35 million people have already voted by mail, and more than 15 million in person.

This is already more than the number of early votes recorded in total in 2016 (more than 47 million). 

By comparison, this represents 36.5% of the total ballots cast for the 2016 presidential election (both early and on polling day).

Four years ago, the total number of voters who voted was 138 million.

Long queues in some states

Advance voting obeys different rules in different states.

One of the most populous of them - and therefore the most endowed with large voters -, New York State, will open the possibility of voting in person from Saturday, which will further increase the number of anticipated ballots. deposited.

Democrats have called for advance voting as a precautionary measure, but voter infatuation has sometimes resulted in long lines in states where it started. 

Since Monday, residents of the state of Georgia can vote and since Monday an incredible queue has formed every day in front of the polling stations.

This morning we have to wait 3:30!

# Usa2020 pic.twitter.com/72yAbGM7tc

- Benjamin Fontaine (@BenjFontaine) October 14, 2020

Opposite, the Trump camp denounces, without supporting evidence, an approach likely to "fake" the results, and promises that his voters will come in droves on November 3 to lie to the polls giving him the beat.

> To read also: As the presidential election approaches, young Americans are giving voice

With AFP

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