Pivotal US elections begin amid a wave of accusations

Early voting is progressing several days faster than it did during the 2022 elections, as the final, intense phase of campaigning unfolds across the country, CNN reports.

Former President Donald Trump is in Texas today, where he will hold two campaign rallies. His goal is to rally support for Republican candidates in races that have turned out to be more competitive than expected.

In Texas, Democrats are hoping to end a 32-year drought without a statewide victory, whether in the Senate or gubernatorial races. Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico will also be in Lubbock, arriving a few hours after Trump. Recent opinion polls show his race against Republican Ken Paxton to be a dead heat.

Trump’s Strategy focuses on visiting heavily Republican areas to help secure a Senate majority. He summed up his approach at a rally in Mississippi, where he endorsed Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, saying, “I can’t leave anything to chance.” A similar strategy is being pursued by Vice President-elect JD Vance and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, both of whom are touring states with strong Republican bases. Their goal is to boost voter turnout in key races that have unexpectedly become highly competitive for their party.

Dispute over voter registration in Washington State

Officials in Washington state said they were “carefully reviewing” a request from the US Department of Justice for information about individuals listed on voter registration rolls. The Washington Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that the request concerns more than 400 records, one of which dates back to 1994.

Are noncitizens voting?

In a letter obtained by CNN, the Justice Department expressed concern over the “number of noncitizens registered and actively voting in Washington state.” The letter states that “allowing such voting undermines the votes of citizens.”

The letter includes a list of suspected ineligible voters compiled by the Department of Homeland Security and asks state officials to instruct election authorities not to certify these individuals’ votes until their citizenship status has been verified. Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said his office takes its responsibility to protect voter data very seriously.

“We will respond only to requests that comply with established procedures. We have seen what happened in California, and we do not want Washington residents to be subjected to harassment,” Hobbs said.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent officials in California from counting more than 20,000 ballots that it believes were cast by non-US citizens. On Monday, a federal appeals court rejected the request and sent the case back to the district court.

A statement from Washington officials said that the system used by the Justice Department to identify such voters “frequently flags actual US citizens as noncitizens, thereby jeopardizing their legal right to vote.”

“The timing of this request—one week before the general election—clearly indicates an intention to cast unfounded doubt on the results,” Hobbs added.

Omar campaigns with Hasan Piker; Harris also speaks out

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar campaigned in Minneapolis alongside streamer Hasan Piker, despite the controversy this sparked among Democrats. She criticized Trump, emphasizing that her constituents know how to distinguish truth from lies.

In Wisconsin, former Vice President Kamala Harris urged voters to channel their “anger, sadness, disappointment, and frustration” into action by turning out to vote.

In a social media post, Donald Trump suggested the possibility of election fraud in Minnesota if Republicans failed to win the Senate race. Former sports reporter Michele Tafoya is running in that contest against Democratic Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan.

Meanwhile, during a campaign stop in Kansas, JD Vance blamed “dictators in the Middle East” for high fuel prices.

In South Carolina, Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Tim Scott warned that Democrats would move to take on Trump if they gained control of Congress. They endorsed Senator Lindsey Graham, whom Trump personally selected for the position.

Asked how a war with Iran might affect voters, Graham avoided giving a direct answer, arguing that Trump should be given more time to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities.