More than 3.8 million Americans have already cast their votes in the presidential election through the mail. That’s a significantly higher number than in the previous election in 2016.
At that time, 75,000 voters had voted by mail, says U.S. Elections Project that keeps track of the votes.
It will take just under a month before the physical polling stations open on November 3, but it is already possible to vote early by mail in more than half of the states.
It had already been predicted that many more people this year would record their choice between sitting President Donald Trump and Democratic party challenger Joe Biden by letter votes.
The large number can be explained by the expansion of the possibilities to vote by mail due to the coronavirus. Early voters want to avoid crowds at polling stations.
Another explanation for the high number, according to the Elections Project, is that many people have already formed their opinions.