The first ballots go out Friday, which makes this a good time to look at precisely where we are in the presidential race.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan issued an order mostly siding with a timeline proposed by special counsel Jack Smith.

"It would be, probably, extremely important for the keys," said historian Allan Lichtman, whose prediction model success earned him his nickname.

The judge declined to set a new trial date but appeared inclined to give prosecutors a chance to lay out damaging evidence against Trump in the next few weeks.

This year has already seen the most competitive GOP field for an open Senate seat in 30 years, the closest recount in a House race in decades, and an unusually difficult reelection bid for a sitting governor that led to an alliance between his failed primary challenger and the Democratic nominee — all before Labor Day.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In the first court hearing in nearly a year, a lawyer for Donald Trump clashed Thursday with the judge in the federal election interference prosecution of the former president after suggesting the government was rushing forward with an “illegitimate” indictment at the height of the White House campaign.

The judge has to begin sorting out which parts of the indictment of the former president must be tossed out because of a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. She’s seeking input on how to do it.

Uncertainty around the US presidential election in November will prevent meaningful gains for metals by subduing global risk appetite and possibly delaying government stimulus in China, according to Citigroup Inc.

Judge Tanya Chutkan has set a schedule in the federal election subversion case against Donald Trump that will allow prosecutors to release never-before-seen evidence, such as grand jury transcripts, before the presidential election.

Municipal clerks must send absentee ballots to any voters who have a request on file by Sept. 19. Voters have until Oct. 31 to request an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots must be received by the municipal clerk by 5 p.m. Nov. 5, election day. (Military and indefinitely confined voters have until 5 p.m. Nov. 1 to request an absentee ballot).