Early Voting Tops 50.5 Million, Democrats Lead in Key States
The Guardian reported that on 31 October, more than 50. 5 million Americans had cast early votes in the United States for the 2026 midterm elections, a record that exceeds the 2022 turnout and places Democrats ahead of Republicans in states that track party affiliation.
Earlier counts showed the surge climbing from about 28 million early ballots in early October (Newsweek) to 41 million (WESH) and 43 million (BBC) later in the month, with Texas leading the tally. An MIT political scientist cited by NPR warned that the early-vote boom may not translate into higher overall turnout, while ABC News analysis indicated Democratic advantages in battleground states such as Georgia and Iowa.