Early Voting Begins in Four States

Early voting begins in four states as Biden challenges Trump on economy in Minnesota face-off

Lines of voters stretched from polling places in Virginia and Minnesota as early voting started in four states, the first of the 2020 presidential election.

The longest lines were found in Virginia, where voters previously needed a reason to cast an early ballot. In the state's Fairfax County, where reports showed lines stretching for hours, election workers scrambled to open an additional voting room at the county government centre.

Ed O'Keefe of CBS News tweeted that "dozens" of socially-distanced voters cast ballots in the first 45 minutes of early voting in Duluth, Minnesota.

South Dakota and Wyoming also saw their first day of early voting on Friday. Ballots can be cast through November 3.

Former president Obama calls for election volunteers

Former US president Barack Obama is encouraging people to volunteer as poll workers during early voting and Election Day on November 3.

In a tweet, he said volunteering "can help your community and make sure this election runs fairly and safely".