(CNN) Throngs of voters faced long lines and coronavirus precautions at polling centers in four states on Friday to cast ballots in the 2020 election, describing their choice to vote early and in-person as necessary this year. Christine Esposito, a Virginian who said she was able to quickly cast her ballot at a polling center in Charlottesville despite a long, socially distanced line of voters, said her decision to vote early "means I keep poll workers safer on Election Day. I make it easier for those who can't vote early to do so safely on Election Day." "In 2016, it was probably 100 in a day on the first day of early voting -- we've already bypassed that in just a couple of hours." Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon similarly said interest in in-person early voting is "higher than it was in 2016."

Source: CNN September 18, 2020 18:56 UTC