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• President Joe Biden has cast his early vote in the presidential election, encouraging voter participation.
• The election is closely contested between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, with high early voting numbers.
• Both campaigns have focused on mobilizing supporters for early voting, with mixed public response.
• Concerns about the election process include voter fraud, voter suppression, and the integrity of mail-in voting.

In a significant move, U.S. President Joe Biden is set to cast his early-voting ballot in the presidential election on Monday, according to the White House. This comes as part of a broader trend of early voting in the United States, with many Americans choosing to vote in advance of the November 5 polling day. Biden's decision to vote early is particularly noteworthy given his earlier decision to step aside in the contest that now pits Republican Donald Trump against Democrat Kamala Harris.

Biden's early voting move is seen as a strategic one, aimed at encouraging voter participation and setting an example for his supporters. It also comes amidst a highly charged political climate, with the election being closely contested between Trump and Harris. The election has been marked by high engagement and record early voting numbers, reflecting a desire among voters to make their voices heard amidst the backdrop of the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and political polarization.

The election campaign has been dominated by a range of issues, including the economy, the COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice and equality, climate change, healthcare, immigration, foreign policy, voting rights and election integrity, Supreme Court and judicial appointments, and personal character and leadership style. Both candidates have sought to address these issues in their campaigns, with each side energizing their base and motivating voters to act.

Early Voting Strategies and Public Response

In terms of early voting strategies, both the Biden and Trump campaigns have been focusing on mobilizing their supporters. The Biden campaign has emphasized early voting, encouraging supporters to vote as soon as possible to secure their votes and potentially bank them early. On the other hand, the Trump campaign, while also engaging in early voting efforts, has historically been more focused on Election Day turnout. However, given the competitive nature of the election, it has adapted to encourage early voting among Republican supporters to match the Democrats' early voting push.

The public's response to the candidates' early voting pushes has been mixed and largely divided along party lines. In areas where the Biden campaign has emphasized early voting, there has been a strong turnout among Democratic voters. On the Republican side, while there were initial concerns about Trump's past criticism of mail-in voting potentially suppressing early voting among his supporters, there has been an increase in early voting among Republicans in this election cycle, indicating a shift in strategy and response to the campaign's more recent encouragement to vote early in-person.

The key swing states to watch in this election include Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, North Carolina, and Georgia. Compared to previous years, early voting trends in these states have generally shown an increase, partly due to the pandemic encouraging mail-in voting and changes in voting habits. Democrats have historically had an edge in early voting, but Republicans have made efforts to increase their early voting numbers, making the early vote count more balanced and the outcomes harder to predict.

Concerns and Preparations for the Election Process

The main concerns raised by both campaigns regarding the election process are voter fraud vs. voter suppression, integrity of mail-in voting, Election Day operations, counting of votes, and potential disputes and litigation. Both campaigns have invested in voter education, legal strategies, and voter mobilization efforts, with a particular focus on ensuring their supporters understand how to vote safely and have their votes counted.

To address these concerns, both campaigns have invested in voter education, legal strategies, and voter mobilization efforts, with a particular focus on ensuring their supporters understand how to vote safely and have their votes counted. The Trump campaign has repeatedly raised concerns about voter fraud, particularly with mail-in ballots, despite little evidence supporting widespread fraud. They have called for strict voter ID laws and have challenged mail-in voting procedures in courts. In contrast, the Biden campaign has focused on voter suppression, highlighting attempts to limit mail-in voting, reduce polling places, and impose strict voter ID requirements, which they argue disproportionately affect minority and Democratic voters. They support expanded access to mail-in voting and early voting.