Early vote in US presidential election hits record 100 million

The sharp increase in mail-in and early in-person voting was largely spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 231,000 people in the United States and continues unabated in many states as the number of cases continue to spike.

More than 100 million Americans cast an early vote in the 2020 presidential election ahead of Tuesday’s Election Day, according to the US Elections Project at the University of Florida, driving what is expected to the highest turnout in modern times.

A man sanitizes a privacy booth to fight the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) at a polling station opened for early voting at Our Lady Help of Christians in Staten Island, New York. (REUTERS)

The sharp increase in mail-in and early in-person voting was largely spurred by the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 231,000 people in the United States and continues unabated in many states as the number of cases continue to spike.