The AFL-CIO and other progressive groups are urging as many voters as possible to vote early to bypass the long lines on Election Day, as well as any potential mistakes or mishaps that could result from voting at the last minute. You’ll also get to vote on your own schedule and avoid all those people who are trying to sway your vote—or turn you away—on Election Day.

Nationwide, nearly one-third of voters in 30 states are expected to vote early, shattering all records. The lines are so long in Florida that Republican Gov. Charlie Crist yesterday reversed a previous decision and extended early voting hours across the state to 12 hours a day. Election officials said some 43,000 people voted in one day in Miami-Dade and neighboring Broward counties, eclipsing the previous early voting record by 5,000. So far, more than 1.2 million people statewide have voted—roughly 10 percent of the state’s registered voters. (See video.)

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