Democratic leaders urge Joe Biden supporters to vote early and in huge numbers amid concerns that nothing short of a decisive win for the Democratic candidate will stave off a move by President Donald Trump to contest the result of the Nov. 3 election.
-With less than three weeks to go until the election showdown, Reuters/Ipsos polling shows Trump cannot rely on last-minute deciders to save him. Only 8% remain undecided, less than half the number of undecided voters in 2016, who handed him his shock victory.
-Trump and Biden will field questions from voters during dueling primetime town halls in lieu of their second presidential debate, which was cancelled after Trump refused to participate in a virtual event.
-Biden and his party smash records after raising $383 million in September for his presidential bid, giving him a financial edge in the final stages of the race for the White House.
-The California Republican party insists it will keep collecting ballots voters deliver to party-provided drop boxes, saying it is legal to do so even after the state top election official demanded the removal of the unauthorized boxes. And in North Carolina a judge rules that absentee ballots must have witness signatures, in a boost for Republicans seeking tougher rules on mail-in voting.
BY THE NUMBERS
Trump and Biden are locked in a statistical tie in the battleground state of Florida. Nationally 51% of likely voters support the Democratic challenger while 41% plan to vote for the Republican incumbent, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll shows.
(Reporting by Gayle Issa; Editing by Frances Kerry)