At a polling site in Minneapolis, Jason Miller, a 37-year-old house painter, arrived well before the polls opened at 8 a.m. and was first in line. He was among roughly 75 people who cast ballots in the first hour at the city’s early voting center. “Why not try to be first? That’s kind of fun, right?” he said.

In-person voting in Virginia for the Nov. 5 general election begins Friday morning and continues through Saturday, Nov. 2.

Starting Friday, voters across Virginia can begin casting their ballots in this year’s critical elections for the White House, a U.S. Senate seat, and the state’s 11 congressional districts that will not only impact the future of the commonwealth but also help shape next year’s gubernatorial race.