Early voting has changed the game in modern politics, and that means snail mail is winning.

On Friday, absentee voting kicked off in three states: Minnesota, Virginia, and South Dakota, and it signals the final phase of ‘midterms 2018.’  Sort of. It has slowed down the maneuvers of a campaign culture that has always prized speed and power, forcing it to now meet the wants of an electorate that has threatened a formerly predictable timeline by lengthening it.

As of August 2018, there were 423 third party and independent candidates who filed or declared congressional runs, compared to 1,185 Democrats and 1,034 Republicans. Of these 423 individuals, there are numerous women who are making congressional runs this 2018. Here are three notable independent female candidates to watch this upcoming November:

San Diego, CA.- In what is expected to be a very close race to replace Councilman David Alvarez, District 8 candidate Vivian Moreno has nabbed a big endorsement.

Former Councilmember Donna Frye is publicly supporting Moreno.

In a statement released by the campaign, Frye notes: “Vivian is a tireless advocate for the community of District 8 and is dedicated to making life better for everyone. She is committed to public service, focused on getting the job done and will work to ensure all members of the community have a voice.”

1. 2016 Wasn't The First Time Donald Trump Ran for President

In 2012, Donald Trump made a brief appearance in the Republican primary, dipping his toe into the water, so to speak, and getting an idea for what it would be like to run.

San Diego, CA.- In what comes as little surprise, the number of independent or NPP voters in San Diego County has now surpassed the number of registered Republicans.

The numbers are in line with the state numbers as reported by IVN last May.

There were 509,359 voters who registered as “no party preference” compared to 487,259 registered Republicans, according to the latest numbers from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters.

How long does it take to travel through a legislative district in Michigan? Well, if you are in Grand Rapids, you can jog through three on a single street:

https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1042504349920972800

One street. About 8 houses. 3 districts.

On September 15, Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green removed a people-led reform initiative, Amendment 1, from the November Ballot. Clean Missouri, the group behind Amendment 1, submitted over 300,000 signatures from Missourians who want to fight corruption. Supporters vowed to immediately appeal the decision.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the closure -- at least temporarily -- of a loophole that allows certain nonprofit political groups who spend on political ads to not disclose their donor lists (commonly referred to as "dark money").

The loophole was established nearly 40 years ago by the FEC, and became a focal point for campaign finance reformers after the 2010 Citizens United decision.

The NPR reports:

What are the main take-aways from the 2018 primary season from an election reform perspective? In summary, some good news, some problems, and some emerging solutions.

The good news is that competition and participation both increased significantly in 2018, as more people ran, more people voted, and more primaries actually offered choice to voters. The number of candidates seeking office jumped by 30% compared with 2016, and the percent of primaries that were contested also rose significantly, particular for House races (see charts below).

Soros Fund Management, the private investment management fund of George Soros, is generally very "left-leaning" and supportive of Democratic candidates, but sometimes the far-left financiers of the Soros Fund give to candidates who have an "(R)" next to their name.