Alabama has initiated the absentee ballot process for the 2024 general election, becoming the first state to mail out ballots, while North Carolina's process has been delayed due to a court ruling requiring the removal of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s name from the ballot. Kennedy, who has endorsed Donald Trump after suspending his presidential campaign, successfully challenged his inclusion in several battleground states, affecting the timing of early voting in North Carolina. The state was set to begin mailing ballots on September 6, but must now reprint millions due to the legal decision. Other states, including Wisconsin, are preparing to send ballots soon, while in-person early voting is set to start in Virginia next week. Mail-in voting has increased in popularity since the pandemic, although Alabama has historically low absentee voting rates. With Election Day approaching on November 5, the urgency for voters to participate is escalating.