The campaigns of President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt¹ Romney are mobilising supporters to cast their ballots³.

 

South Dakota, Vermont and Idaho have already begun in-person early voting, but Iowa is the first of the swing states to do so.

 

Most Americans will go to the polls on 6 November, now 40 days away.

 

In the last presidential election, Iowans cast 545,000 votes early, about 30% of the total ballots in the state, and awarded Mr Obama a solid majority.

 

Recent polls suggest Mr Obama is leading in the Midwestern rural state by an average of almost five points.

 

 

Mr Obama and Mr Romney spent Wednesday in Ohio, another swing state - one that is not viewed as a reliable win for either party's candidate.

 

Ohio begins early voting next week.

 

Iowa and Ohio are among seven states where the Obama campaign is launching a TV advertisement promoting the president's economic plan.

 

In the two-minute ad, Mr Obama argues that his proposals will create manufacturing jobs, cut oil imports and hire thousands of new teachers.

 

After the embarrassment⁴ caused by a leaked video in which Mr Romney disparages⁵ 47% of Americans as government-dependent Obama supporters, his campaign is refocusing on its central message: that the president has mishandled the economy.

 

The former Massachusetts governor is hoping to win the support of working-class voters, including miners, with an ad showing Mr Obama in 2008 saying he would support anti-pollution laws that could bankrupt coal plants.

 

The two candidates are campaigning in another swing state on Thursday: Virginia.

 

Both men are also gearing up for the first presidental debate - in Denver, Colorado, on 3 October - which will focus on US foreign policy.

 

While Iowans will be able to vote early at county auditor⁶ offices and by absentee ballot², state law also allows secondary polling locations to be set up by the signature of 100 county voters.

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