More than 53 million Americans have cast their ballots ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, with turnout higher than four years ago and a notable increase among Democratic voters.
According to data analyzed by the University of Florida, 53.14 million people out of roughly 210 million registered voters had voted as of 6:56 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday. Approximately 29 million voted in person at polling stations, while 23 million mailed in their ballots.
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In the 2022 midterm elections, around 46 million people voted early, putting the current figure above that total.
Registered Democrats lead Republicans in early turnout: more than 11 million Democrats have voted so far, compared with around 8 million Republicans.
Texas has recorded the largest increase, with more than 7 million voters casting ballots. That is about 1.5 million more than at the same stage of the 2022 elections.
Significant increases have also been reported in other states: early voting is up 83% in South Carolina, 34% in Kansas, 44% in Maine and 32% in Michigan. In Michigan, around 409,000 more people have voted than four years ago.
The campaign is unfolding during a difficult political period for Republicans. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and US involvement in the war with Iran alongside Israel have affected support for the party, while the cost of living remains a concern for citizens.
National polls published two days before Election Day put support for Democrats at 51.5% and Republicans at 43.1%.
Early voting allows citizens to vote before the official date, either by going to polling stations in person or by mailing in their ballots. In-person voting before Election Day is allowed in 47 states and Washington, while postal voting is available in every state.
People choose to vote early for various reasons. Some want to avoid lines on Election Day, others are encouraged by political parties or local organizations, while some prefer to complete the voting process as soon as possible.
Experts warn that early voting data does not reveal which candidate people voted for and cannot, on its own, be used to predict the final result.
