Early voting begins in Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island

Five states join the rest of the country on Wednesday as they start the early voting process for the 2024 election.

Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, Oregon and Rhode Island make a total of 49 states and Washington, D.C., that have begun early voting.

Here's how to cast a ballot in each state.

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A volunteer sanitizes a voting booth at a polling location for the 2020 presidential election in Ankeny, Iowa.

Nevada is one of the most competitive states this cycle

Forever a battleground, reliably Democrat: That’s the story of Nevada’s presidential politics.

The state has voted for every Democrat who has run for president since 1992, except the two elections with President Bush on the ballot. But the average margin across those eight elections is just 4.1 points.

There are only six electoral votes at stake, but they could be crucial for either candidate. If Harris wins two of the battleground Rust Belt states but loses Pennsylvania, for example, then a combination of Nevada and North Carolina would make up for the deficit.

Nevada is home to the "Reid Machine," a voter turnout operation named after late Senate leader Harry Reid, that activates voters favorable to Democrats, especially Hispanic and unionized hospitality workers in the Las Vegas area.

Those groups aren’t as overwhelmingly Democrat as they used to be. The party has shed 10 points worth of the Hispanic vote since 2020 and seven points of the non-college-educated vote.

Voters backed a Republican for governor in 2022; that election came two years after the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the tourism industry. They held on to their Democrat senator.

Republicans do well in the vast rural areas led by Lincoln County, where Trump won by 71 points in 2020, and the state’s northeastern counties.

The battleground is Washoe County, home to Reno. Biden won there by 4.5 points in 2020, making it the state’s closest county.

Nevada is a Toss Up in the Fox News Power Rankings.

The Silver State also has a senate race on the ballot. Democrat Sen. Jacky Rosen seeks a second term in office but faces Republican Army veteran Sam Brown. The Senate race is ranked Lean D.

Finally, Iowa voters start heading to the polls today. Once a hotly competitive state, it voted for Trump by eight points in 2020. Iowa is one of several states dominated by White working-class voters who flipped to Trump in his first run for office and have not gone back.

A recent Des Moines Register survey showing Harris four points behind Trump raised eyebrows, but it would take an extraordinary night for Harris to flip this one.

Key downballot races in today’s early voting states

Voting also begins today in four battleground House districts. For a full list of competitive races, see the latest Senate and House rankings.

• Iowa’s 1st District: Second-term GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won this seat by six votes in 2020, and while redistricting gave her a more comfortable win in the midterms, she remains vulnerable in the Davenport and Iowa City district. Former state Rep. Christina Bohannan is the Democrat candidate. It’s a Toss Up in the Power Rankings.
• Iowa’s 3rd District: The southern 3rd District is represented by Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who flipped the seat during the midterms. It was another close race, with 2,145 votes separating him and his Democrat opponent. This year, he’s up against Democrat Lanon Baccam, who recently worked at the USDA. This is a Lean R race.
• Nevada’s 3rd District: This district almost touches Las Vegas, but it stretches a long way west of that out to Henderson, Boulder City and rural Clark County. Democrat Rep. Susie Lee has served in the district since 2019; this year, she faces Republican Drew Johnson. This race is ranked Lean D.
• Oregon’s 5th District: Finally, Oregon’s 5th District ranges from parts of Portland out to the Cascades. GOP Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer flipped this race in the midterms after Democrats booted out their incumbent moderate Democrat in a primary, but it’s a razor-thin race in 2024. The Democrat challenger this time around is state Rep. Janelle Bynum. It’s another Power Rankings Toss Up.

How to vote in Iowa

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Iowa.

Voting by mail

Iowa began absentee voting on Wednesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. State officials must receive a ballot request by Oct. 21, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

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Early in-person voting

Iowa offers early in-person voting beginning Oct. 16 and running through Nov. 4.

Voter registration

Iowa residents can register to vote in person at any point during early voting or on Election Day. The deadline for online or mail registration is Oct. 21.

Dozens of states now offer early voting. (Fox News Digital)

How to vote in Kansas

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Kansas.

Voting by mail

Kansas began absentee voting on Wednesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. State officials must receive a ballot request by Oct. 29, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

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Early in-person voting

Some Kansas counties offer early in-person voting beginning Oct. 16, but other counties start later. Check the state's website for more information.

Voter registration

Kansas residents must have registered to vote by Oct. 15.

How to vote in Nevada

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Nevada.

Voting by mail

Nevada began absentee voting on Wednesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. State officials began actively sending absentee ballots to eligible voters on Wednesday, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Nevada will begin early in-person voting on Oct. 19, and it will continue through Nov. 1.

Voter registration

Nevada residents can register online through Election Day, and they can register in person from Oct. 19 to Nov. 1 or in person on Election Day.

Fifteen states are starting or expanding their early voting programs this week. (Fox News Digital)

How to vote in Oregon

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Oregon.

Voting by mail

Oregon began absentee voting on Wednesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. State officials began actively sending absentee ballots to eligible voters on Wednesday, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5.

Early in-person voting

Oregon does not offer in-person early voting.

Voter registration

Oregon residents must have registered to vote by Oct. 15.

How to vote in Rhode Island

This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Rhode Island.

Voting by mail

Rhode Island began absentee voting on Wednesday. Residents do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. Residents must request a ballot by Oct. 15, and that ballot must be delivered to state officials by Nov. 5. 

Early in-person voting

Rhode Island begins early in-person voting on Wednesday, and it will continue through Nov. 4.

Voter registration

Rhode Island can register to vote in person on election day or during early voting. The deadline for online or by-mail registration was Oct. 6.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.