Early voting: Half of U.S. begins voting by tomorrow

Election Day may be Nov. 6th, but with President Obama grabbing a lead nationally and in key swing states, Americans are already starting to vote.

Idaho, South Dakota, and the crucial swing state of Virginia are the first states to begin early, in-person voting today.

Also today, absentee voting begins in Minnesota, West Virginia, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Georgia, Arkansas, Idaho, and Maryland, bringing the total number of states already accepting ballots to 13. Twelve others -- South Carolina, New Jersey, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Delaware, Louisiana, and Missouri -- will begin absentee or early voting Saturday.

Here’s the full calendar of when voting starts in each state:

September:

Sept. 6: North Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 17:
Kentucky: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Indiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 20:
Wisconsin: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 21:
West Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oklahoma: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
South Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Arkansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Idaho: Absentee, ends Nov. 2
Maryland: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Sept. 22:
South Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Jersey: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Maine: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Michigan: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Mississippi: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Hampshire: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Texas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Vermont: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Delaware: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Louisiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Missouri: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
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Sept. 27:
Alabama: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Wyoming: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
North Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Iowa: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov.5
Illinois: Absentee, ends Nov. 5

October

Oct. 1:
Washington, DC: Absentee, ends Nov 6
Nebraska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5

October 2:
New York: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Ohio: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2* (Secretary of State's website still lists ending Nov. 2, but the court decision would indicate that it would be extended through Election Day.)
Florida: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 5:
Connecticut: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 8:
California: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov.5

Oct. 9:
Indiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Rhode Island: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Mexico: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Montana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Utah: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 11: Arizona: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 12: Alaska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 15:
Colorado: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Early in-person, ends Nov.2

Oct. 16:
Massachusetts: Absentee; ends Nov. 6

Oct. 17:
Kansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Nevada: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Hawaii: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Early in-person, ends Nov.1
Oct. 18: North Carolina: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 19:
Oregon: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Washington: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 20:
Nevada: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
New Mexico: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 22:
Alaska: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Arkansas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Illinois: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
North Dakota: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Colorado: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Washington D.C.: Early in-person, Nov. 3
Texas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Wisconsin: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2

Oct. 23:
Utah: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Hawaii: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
Louisiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 30
Pennsylvania: Absentee, ends Nov. 6

Oct. 24:
West Virginia: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

Oct. 27:
Maryland: Early in-person, ends Nov. 1
Florida: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3

November

Nov. 2:
Oklahoma: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5

SOURCE: Early Voting Information Center at Reed College

There are too many wrongs in early voting, other than the absentee ballots. Too many Republican Secretary States controlling who and when these votes can be counted. In back rooms where these ballots are kelp, some paid employees.....no doubt a Republican sorting out Democrat ballots and destroyed.

I will be voting next week...and it looks as though NC is going to be as red as it was in 2010. The Koch Brothers have been funding lots of anti-liberal mailings, just like they did before. I throw them in the trash.

I just returned from voting...I think Bob Sheiffer's mom was right...vote because it will make you feel big and strong!!!!!