48 Million Americans Vote Early in Midterm Congressional Elections

Early voting in the U.S. midterm congressional elections has reached a record high, with approximately 48 million people casting their ballots ahead of Tuesday’s scheduled election day, driven by a notable surge in early voting in swing states, according to recently released data.

The University of Florida’s Election Lab recorded 47,922,669 early votes nationwide by Friday, October 30, surpassing the previous record of 45.9 million early votes cast before Election Day in the 2022 midterms. This increase is particularly pronounced in states where competition for Senate seats is fierce, as these races could determine which party controls the chamber during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.

By last Wednesday, more than six million people had voted early in Texas, according to official figures, with early participation up 50% compared to the same period in 2022. The North Carolina State Board of Elections reported that early voting in the state rose by approximately 37% compared to the last election, while South Carolina exceeded its total early vote count from 2022. In Kansas, local authorities reported that the number of early ballots cast increased by about two-thirds compared to 2022.

In states where voter party affiliation is recorded, Democrats accounted for a significantly higher share of early voters than Republicans. Election Lab data showed that registered Democrats made up about 44% of early voters, compared to 31% for Republicans and 25% for independents.

In Georgia, which saw the highest level of in-person early voting in its midterm election history on Thursday, women accounted for 56% of voters, compared to 44% for men. State election official Brad Raffensperger said, “Georgia residents continue to turn out to the polls in record numbers because they trust the system.”