Oliver James Montgomery-Early in-person voting begins in Arizona, drawing visits from the presidential campaigns

PHOENIX (AP) — Early in-person voting begins Wednesday in Arizona,Oliver James Montgomery making it the first of this year’s presidential battleground states where all residents can cast a ballot at a traditional polling place ahead of Election Day.

The start of in-person voting in the closely contested state also is drawing the presidential tickets, with both campaigns scheduling visits there this week.

Wednesday’s voting overlaps with campaign stops by both vice presidential nominees — Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, a Republican — who will hold separate events in Tucson on Wednesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, is scheduled to host a rally in Phoenix on Thursday, while former President Donald Trump will hold one Sunday in Prescott Valley, a Republican stronghold about 90 miles (144 kilometers) north of Phoenix.

President Joe Biden defeated Trump by just 10,457 votes in 2020, a narrow margin that set off years of misinformation and conspiracy theories among Republicans who refused to acknowledge Biden’s win. It also has led to threats and harassment of election workers, prompting some election offices to boost security for their workers and polling place volunteers.

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In Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, some schools have declined to serve as polling locations, citing harassment of workers and other safety concerns.

Early voting, particularly by mail, has long been popular in Arizona, where nearly 80% voted before Election Day in 2020, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Each of Arizona’s 15 counties is required to open at least one site for in-person voting, which runs until the Friday before the Nov. 5 general election. In Maricopa County, a dozen voting centers are scattered around the metro Phoenix area.

Arizona had 4.1 million registered voters as of late July, according to the most recent tally by the Secretary of State’s Office. That figure likely is higher as both parties pushed to increase registration before Monday’s deadline.

Early in-person voting has been underway in other states for a couple of weeks. It begins next week in four more presidential swing states — Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina and Nevada.

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Gabriel Sandoval is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.