Early voting tops 43 million before the midterms

More than 43 million Americans had already cast their ballots by the end of the week, days before Tuesday's midterm elections decide control of Congress. That is nearly 10 million more than at the same point four years ago, according to an analysis of state data.

The surge is strongest in states with competitive Senate races. Texas, which has become a key battleground for control of the Senate, has seen early voting rise by about half compared with 2022. Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Kansas have each recorded increases of more than 30%. Minneapolis said it had set an early voting record for a non-presidential election.

Election researchers say four to five million early votes have been cast on some days, a much faster rate than in most past elections, and that overall turnout could rival recent midterm records. In states that track party registration, registered Democrats account for a larger share of early ballots than Republicans, though that does not show how people actually voted, and early figures can shift before Election Day.

More voters are choosing to vote early in person rather than by mail, researchers say. Many states will stop offering early voting in the final days before the election, so the pace is expected to slow over the weekend. Polls close on Tuesday, Nov. 3.