Virginia’s in-per­son ear­ly vot­ing begins as elec­tion sea­son picks up steam

The elec­tion sea­son is in full swing Fri­day as Vir­ginia becomes the first state to allow in-per­son ear­ly vot­ing in the 2024 cycle and six oth­er states – Arkansas, Ida­ho, Min­neso­ta, South Dako­ta, West Vir­ginia and Wyoming – make absen­tee bal­lots avail­able, some with restric­tions. Two com­pet­i­tive states begin vot­ing today, begin­ning with Min­neso­ta. The mid­west­ern state has vot­ed for Democ­rats in every elec­tion since 1972, but with a high­er pro­por­tion of White work­ing class vot­ers and deep red rur­al pock­ets, the result has remained with­in com­pet­i­tive mar­gins every cycle. Biden won by about 7 points in 2020.The president’s weak­ness­es put this s …