Early in-person voting for the 2024 U.S. presidential election begins today in Virginia, South Dakota, and Minnesota, with a total of around a dozen states expected to follow suit by mid-October. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon expressed hopes for high voter turnout and low drama during the election season, amid heightened security measures for polling places due to past threats against election workers. Federal authorities are investigating suspicious packages sent to election officials in over 15 states. Former President Donald Trump has ramped up his rhetoric, vowing to prosecute alleged election fraud similar to claims he made in 2020. The election season, now underway, follows the Democratic and Republican conventions and the first debate between Harris and Trump. As voting approaches, Trump's previous skepticism towards mail-in voting remains evident as he encourages in-person ballots on Election Day.