For most of U.S. history, voters cast ballots in person on Election Day. During the Civil War, the idea of absentee voting sprang up to accommodate soldiers on battlefields. To support the vote for soldiers overseas during World War II, Congress passed laws that remain in effect today. In the 1980s, California allowed voters to ask for absentee ballots just because they’d rather vote that way. Now, 28 states offer “no-excuse” absentee voting, and eight states and Washington, D.C., automatically send ballots to all registered voters. In all, 47 states offer early in-person voting opportunities. Today’s Map Monday shows how each state and territory manages early voting.
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