First General Election Ballots Mailed as Presidential Race Nears

The first general election ballots for the presidential race are being sent out as Alabama officials begin mailing them to absentee voters with the Nov. 5 contest less than two months away.
The milestone comes on the heels of Tuesday’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
“We’re ready to go,” said Sharon Long, deputy clerk in the Jefferson County circuit clerk’s office. Long said her office received the ballots Tuesday and began mailing them Wednesday morning to voters who had requested absentee ballots. Overseas and military voters were also included. In Alabama, voters can still go to their election office, complete the application, and submit an absentee ballot in person if needed.
Alabama does not offer traditional early voting, making absentee voting the only option for those who cannot vote in person on Election Day. The state only allows absentee voting for specific reasons, such as illness, travel, incarceration, or work conflicts. Long noted that her office has received over 2,000 absentee ballot applications so far. “We are expecting heavy interest,” she said.
North Carolina was also scheduled to begin mailing out absentee ballots, but the process was delayed after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. successfully sued to have his name removed from the ballot. Kennedy dropped his independent campaign and endorsed Trump, filing similar challenges in other key states. Despite the delay, other states are preparing to roll out absentee ballots and begin in-person voting over the next few weeks.
However, the start of the voting season comes with an undercurrent of uncertainty. Trump has continued to claim that only cheating could prevent his victory, casting doubt on the electoral process. His false claims about fraud in the 2020 election have sown distrust among many Republicans, and several GOP-led states have enacted laws making voting more restrictive.
In Alabama, new laws limit who can assist voters with absentee ballots. It is now illegal to distribute pre-filled absentee ballot applications or return someone else’s application. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said the new measures aim to protect voters from activists seeking to exploit the absentee process. However, advocacy groups have challenged the law, arguing it criminalizes community voter engagement efforts.
With absentee ballots now in the mail and more states gearing up for the election, the race to Nov. 5 is officially underway.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press