Nearly 48 million Americans had cast early ballots ahead of the November 3, 2026, US midterm elections by midday Friday, October 30, setting a new record for early voting in a midterm election.
Data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab showed that 47,922,669 early votes had been recorded nationwide, surpassing the previous midterm record of approximately 45.9 million set before Election Day in 2022.
Several states with closely contested elections have recorded significant increases. Texas had received more than six million early votes by Wednesday, with in-person participation about 50 per cent higher than at the same stage in 2022. North Carolina reported an increase of nearly 37 per cent, while South Carolina had already exceeded its total early-vote count for the entire 2022 midterm election.
In states that record voters’ party affiliation, registered Democrats accounted for about 44 per cent of early ballots, compared with 31 per cent for Republicans and 25 per cent for independent and minor-party voters. These figures reflect party registration, however, and do not show which candidates voters supported.
Georgia also recorded a milestone, with early in-person voting surpassing the state’s previous midterm record on Thursday. Women accounted for 56 per cent of ballots cast by that point, compared with 44 per cent for men, according to the reported figures.
Despite the surge, election analysts have cautioned against treating early-voting figures as a prediction of the outcome. Millions of Americans are still expected to vote on November 3, and Republicans have historically recorded stronger participation on Election Day in some recent elections.
The high early-voting numbers also do not necessarily mean overall turnout will increase by the same margin, as some voters may simply be casting their ballots earlier than they did in previous elections. The results of the midterms will determine the balance of power in Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s term.