US: Polling stations open as record turnout expected for presidential vote
A whopping 98.8 ballots already filed in during early voting, likely resulting in delays in the count
Polling stations opened along the US east coast early Tuesday, welcoming Americans wishing to cast their ballots in the 2020 presidential race.
Vermont was the first to officially start in-person voting, with some of the polling stations in the state opening as early as 5 am local time.
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Almost 99 million voters have already cast their ballots ahead of November 3 -- a figure that makes for 71 percent of the total turnout in 2016, as reported by the Associated Press.
The high number of early votes prompted commentators to expect a record turnout this year as US President Donald Trump faces off with Democratic contender Joe Biden.
It could also result in lengthy delays before one of the two can claim victory as votes are being delivered and counted.
Many states are not accustomed to handling massive numbers of mail-in ballots, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin -- all key battleground states that could play a pivotal role in the vote -- will only begin counting early votes today.
While Biden enters the final showdown at the polls with an advantage in the surveys, the fate of the vote is far from sealed as his advantage in swing states is narrow.