Obama Casts His Ballot Early In Chicago

President Barack Obama voted Monday in the midterm elections, joining hundreds of thousands of Americans who have also taken advantage of early voting.

Obama, who is in Chicago to campaign for Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D), stopped by his polling place, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Center, to cast his ballot:

"I love voting," Obama said, according to a pool report. "Everybody in Illinois, early vote. It's a wonderful opportunity."

As of Monday, voters in 34 states plus the District of Columbia are eligible to vote early in person. As The Washington Post notes, both Republicans and Democrats are eager to boost early voting turnout, particularly in down-to-the-wire Senate contests. According to the United States Election Project, nearly 2 million voters have voted early so far this cycle.

In 2012, Obama became the first sitting president to vote early, returning to Chicago to cast his ballot. Approximately 32 million Americans voted early in that election cycle.