Early Voting: 42 Million Americans Cast Midterm Ballots

More than 42 million Americans have already cast ballots for the 2026 midterm elections, a figure that suggests the nation may approach record participation levels. The University of Florida Election Lab reports that current early voting patterns mirror the 2018 cycle, a year characterized by high Democratic engagement.

Michael McDonald, a political scientist at the University of Florida, stated that the U.S. could surpass the turnout rate from 2018. That year holds the record for the highest midterm participation since 1914. However, McDonald noted that this high volume is not evenly distributed across the electorate.

The data reveals a distinct partisan split. Democrats account for 44% of early votes, while registered Republicans make up approximately 31%. McDonald attributed this disparity to higher current engagement among registered Democrats and unaffiliated voters compared to registered Republicans.

Demographic trends further complicate the picture. McDonald observed increased early voting rates among young people and minority groups. He described the current electorate as potentially the most diverse in U.S. midterm history, citing high engagement among African American, Hispanic, and Asian American voters relative to white voters.

McDonald cautioned that these early figures do not represent the entire country. States such as Maine, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska have lower early voting volumes, with only about a third of their total votes cast before Election Day. These regions differ significantly from mail-in voting states or areas with robust in-person early voting infrastructure.

While Democrats currently hold an early lead, McDonald indicated that Republicans typically close some of that gap on Election Day itself. Final results will not be announced until after polls close on Tuesday, November 3.