Early voting soars as Biden leads Trump in polls

[NFA] Early voting began on Monday in Florida, a battleground state that could decide the Nov.

3 presidential election, while a record 30 million Americans already have cast ballots nationwide with barely two weeks remaining in the U.S. campaign.

This report produced by Chris Dignam.

TRUMP: "Everybody needs to get out and vote." President Donald Trump on Monday told crowds at back-to-back rallies in Arizona to vote early.

TRUMP: "Return your absentee ballot or... you know, you can go out there, I think, today.

When do you do it?

Today?

Tomorrow?

Whatever." Early voting began on Oct.

7 in the battleground state, where the Republican president's Democratic opponent Joe Biden has a narrow lead, according to recent opinion polls.

TRUMP: "You don't have events like this and you come in second in Arizona, okay?

You don't do that." But Trump showed characteristic self-confidence in describing the state of the race, amid signs that Democrats are leading the surge in early voting.

TRUMP: "'Cause our people like to go out, like, and vote.

Right?

They like to vote?" Nearly 30 million Americans have already cast early ballots in the 2020 election, more than 21% of the overall total in 2016, as voters this year sought to avoid potentially large crowds on Nov.

3.

Polls opened to early voting in the crucial battleground state of Florida on Monday.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey of the state showed Biden with 49% of the support and Trump with 47%.

HARRIS: "What's up, Florida!" At a drive-in rally in Orlando, Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris, made a breathless appeal for early votes.

HARRIS: "Healthcare justice is on the ballot in 2020.

Reproductive justice is on the ballot in 2020.

Criminal justice reform is on the ballot in 2020.

Climate reform is on the ballot in 2020.

Everything is on the ballot in 2020!

Joe Biden is on the ballot in 2020!" Biden was off the campaign trail on Monday, as he prepped for Thursday's high-stakes debate.

But he made a brief appearance in his home state of Delaware, stopping to talk to police officers after taping an interview with "60 Minutes" at Wilmington's Queen Theater.

With nearly two weeks to go until Election Day, Biden holds a wide lead in national opinion polls but in many battleground states, where the election is likely to be decided, the race is much tighter.