Where midterms early voting is surging
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More than 12.6 million Americans have already cast ballots in the midterm elections, according to the University of Florida Election Lab's tracker.
Why it matters: Early turnout is offering a first glimpse of voter engagement in the final weeks of the campaign with control of Congress at stake.
- States with competitive Senate races, including Georgia and Michigan, are already seeing significant early voting activity.
- Democrats hope to capitalize on dissatisfaction with President Trump and the economy, while Republicans work to mobilize their base.
By the numbers: Georgia and Virginia lead reporting states in early turnout as a share of all ballots cast in the 2022 midterms.
- Georgia: More than 1 million ballots have been cast, equivalent to 25.9% of the state's total turnout in 2022.
- Virginia: 770,916 ballots have been cast — 25.5% of its 2022 turnout.
- Lowest among reporting states: Oregon (0.6%), Kentucky (1.4%) and Connecticut (1.5%).
Yes, but: States set their own early-voting schedules and reporting timelines, and low percentages don't necessarily mean lagging participation.
There are also signs of strong early turnout in other states.
- Texas: Dallas County reported a record 76,079 in-person votes on Monday, the first day of early-voting, surpassing its previous record set in 2020.
- North Carolina: Early voting was running 37% ahead of the same point in the 2022 midterms as of Oct. 18, with registered Democrats casting more than twice as many ballots as Republicans.
Reality check: While early turnout can offer clues about enthusiasm, those casting ballots ahead of Election Day tend to be more politically engaged than the average American, making the data an unreliable predictor of final results.
