Record Early Voting Surge: 54 Million Americans Have Already Cast Midterm Ballots
With just days until the midterm elections, more than 54 million Americans have already cast their ballots, according to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab. The tracker, maintained by Dr. Michael McDonald, shows 56,144,276 mail-in and early in-person votes cast nationally as of the latest update. This unprecedented level of early participation underscores the intense interest in a midterm cycle that will decide the composition of the US House of Representatives and Senate for the final two years of President Trump’s second term. The backdrop to this voting surge includes rising costs of food, gasoline and other essentials, as well as the Iran war and concerns over government corruption.
Early voting is surging particularly in states with competitive Senate races. According to a recent Associated Press analysis, Texas, Maine and Kansas are showing large increases in early voting. In Kansas, where an unusually tight Senate battle is under way in a normally reliable Republican state, early voting is up 34%, while in Maine it is up 44%. In Michigan, another key Senate battleground, early voting is up 32%. These numbers suggest that voters are energized and eager to make their voices heard in contests that could determine control of the Senate. Republicans are defending a 53-47 majority, and Democrats are aiming to pull off victories in traditionally conservative-leaning states such as Texas, Alaska and even Kansas.
The Associated Press, which has tabulated vote counts in U.S. elections since 1848, continues to gather election results from local election officials in thousands of races nationwide. The AP’s role in race calls and vote tabulation remains central to how the nation understands election outcomes. Meanwhile, the UF Election Lab’s early voter tracker compiles data from state election officials, though in some cases the data are obtained directly and are not in the public domain. As the nation awaits final results, the surge in early voting is a clear signal that Americans are engaged and determined to shape the future direction of the country.
Shimanta Das 
