Factbox - Early voting starts next month in U.S. election

By Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Although the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election is more than two months away, the first ballots will be cast in just a few weeks when several states begin early voting. Thirty-eight of the 50 U.S. states have some form of early voting in this year's race between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Pushing supporters to vote early has become a large organizational effort by both major U.S. parties. Below are the dates for early voting in the states that allow it. State rankings, such as "most competitive states," are based on the Reuters States of the Nation poll. (http://www.reuters.com/statesofthenation/) MOST COMPETITIVE STATES - Florida: Oct. 24 to Nov. 6 - Iowa: Sept. 29 to Nov. 7 - Nevada: Oct. 22 to Nov. 4 - North Carolina: Varies by county - Ohio: Oct. 12 to Nov. 7 - Virginia: Sept. 23 to Nov. 5 MODERATELY COMPETITIVE - Arizona: Oct. 12 to Nov. 4 - Colorado: Oct. 24 to Nov. 7 - Georgia: Oct. 17 to Nov. 4 - New Mexico: Oct. 11 to Nov. 5 - Wisconsin: Varies by municipalities STRONGLY REPUBLICAN LEANING - Alaska: Oct. 24 to Nov. 7 - Arkansas: Oct. 24 to Nov. 7 - Idaho: Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 - Indiana: Oct. 12 to Nov. 7 - Kansas: Nov. 1 to Nov. 7 - Kentucky: Oct. 21 to Nov. 7 - Louisiana: Oct. 25 to Nov. 1 - Mississippi: Sept. 26 to Nov. 5 - Montana: Oct. 11 to Nov. 7 - Nebraska: Oct. 10 to Nov. 7 - Oklahoma: Nov. 3 to Nov. 5 - South Dakota: Sept. 23 to Nov. 7 - Tennessee: Oct. 19 to Nov. 3 - Texas: Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 - Utah: Oct. 25 to Nov. 4 - West Virginia: Oct. 26 to Nov. 5 - Wyoming: Sept. 29 to Nov. 7 STRONGLY DEMOCRATIC LEANING - California: Varies by county - Hawaii: Oct. 25 to Nov. 5 - Illinois: Sept. 29 to Nov. 7 - Maine: Oct. 9 to Nov. 7 - Maryland: Oct. 27 to Nov. 3 - Massachusetts: Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 - Minnesota: Sept. 23 to Nov. 7 - Vermont: Sept. 23 to Nov. 7 - Washington state: Oct. 21 to Nov. 7 - Washington, D.C.: Oct. 29 to Nov. 5 (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)