Early voting tops 34 million nationwide as midterm turnout outpaces 2022

More than 34 million Americans had voted early, in person or by mail, as of Tuesday afternoon, one week before the Nov. 3 midterm election, according to figures from the University of Florida's Election Lab reported by Maryland Matters and the Alaska Beacon, which published the same story.

Michael McDonald, the University of Florida political science professor who runs the lab, said the pace is on track to exceed 2022, when nearly 46 million people voted early. He said he was unsure whether it would surpass 2018, which he described as the highest-turnout midterm since 1914. "That's a high water benchmark," McDonald said, according to the outlets.

In the 27 states that track party registration, about 45% of roughly 16 million early voters were Democrats, about 31% Republicans and 24% unaffiliated, the lab's data showed. McDonald said the data does not reveal why people are voting early. He offered two possible explanations: a return to in-person voting after the pandemic, and concern among some voters about President Donald Trump's stance toward the Postal Service. The outlets noted the Supreme Court in September left in place a lower court order blocking Trump's proposed mail ballot restrictions.

Control of the House and Senate is at stake. Election forecasters cited by the outlets favor Democrats to win the House. The Cook Political Report lists seven Senate toss-ups: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas. According to the lab, Texas had recorded more than 5 million early votes, Michigan more than 1.3 million and Ohio nearly 1.2 million.

Local officials described heavy activity. In Kansas, Sedgwick County recorded 34,000 in-person early ballots by 6 p.m. Tuesday, a record for a midterm, KWCH reported. Election Commissioner Laura Rainwater credited races on the ballot, including an open governor's seat, and expanded access through 17 satellite sites. "If you make it easy to get to, more people will vote, and that is paying off," she told the station.

Voters there cited varied reasons. One Democratic voter told KWCH health care drew her out, while a Republican voter said he liked the country's direction.

In North Dakota, early voting opened in Morton County, one of seven counties offering it, KFYR reported. Nearly 13,000 of the state's roughly 600,000 eligible voters had cast ballots, according to the Secretary of State's website cited by the station. An election worker in Mandan described a steady stream of voters since doors opened.

Other states also reported strong early numbers. Citing partner outlets, Maryland Matters and the Alaska Beacon said Tennessee's early turnout ran 57% above 2022 in the first eight days, and unaffiliated voters cast 34% of early ballots in North Carolina's first five days.

Compiled by True News from reporting by KWCH 12, Maryland Matters, Alaska Beacon and KFYR. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/532