Midterms: 58M Ballots Already Cast in Record Early Vote Surge
(MENAFN) Americans voted Tuesday in midterm elections that will decide which party controls Congress for the last two years of President Donald Trump’s second term. Governorships, state legislatures and other offices are also on the ballot.
The Nov. 3 vote comes after record early turnout. More than 58 million ballots were cast before election day, well above the roughly 45.9 million logged at the same stage in 2022, the University of Florida Election Lab reported.
EARLY VOTING BREAKS RECORDS
Early votes include ballots cast in person at designated polling sites and those returned by mail.
Texas leads with more than 7.7 million early ballots, a sharp rise from the 2022 midterms. In Harris County, home to Houston, turnout topped 1 million before early voting closed.
Other states also posted heavy numbers, according to University of Florida data based on state reports through Sunday: more than 5.4 million ballots in Florida, 2.8 million apiece in Georgia and North Carolina, and 1.8 million in Michigan.
The numbers point to higher engagement but do not show which party stands to gain.
In states that report party registration, Democrats make up about 43% of early ballots, Republicans about 32% and independents or other voters roughly 25%, the University of Florida Election Lab said. Those figures reflect registration, not actual votes, which are secret, and exclude states that do not report party affiliation.
Voters 65 and older account for about 44% of early participants in states reporting age data. Those aged 41 to 65 make up roughly 37%, and voters aged 18 to 25 about 6%.
A LARGER, MORE DIVERSE ELECTORATE
About 249.75 million US citizens aged 18 or older are eligible to vote in 2026, according to Pew Research Center estimates. That is roughly 8.45 million more than in 2022, an increase of about 3%.
The electorate is also diversifying. White Americans make up around 61% of eligible voters, Hispanic Americans about 16%, Black Americans 12% and Asian Americans 5%.
The Hispanic electorate has expanded by about 5.25 million since 2022 to 38.95 million eligible voters. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing group, up around 20% over the same period to 13.65 million.
Eligible voters are not necessarily registered, and not all will cast ballots, a distinction that matters when comparing the electorate with early-vote totals. To vote in federal elections, a person must be a US citizen, be at least 18 by Election Day and meet their state’s registration rules.
WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT
All 435 voting seats in the US House of Representatives are up for election, along with 35 of the 100 Senate seats.
House members serve two-year terms and represent districts apportioned by state population. The Senate seats two members per state, each serving six-year terms, with about one-third of the chamber up every two years. Of the 35 Senate contests, 33 are regularly scheduled and two are special elections to fill vacancies.
Voters will also choose governors in 36 states and thousands of state lawmakers. The National Conference of State Legislatures counts 6,139 legislative seats up for election across 46 states.
In 39 states and the Northern Mariana Islands, voters will decide 146 statewide ballot measures on topics including taxation, public spending and constitutional amendments.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Polling hours vary by state and locality. Results will be reported as ballots are counted, though tight races and differences in counting procedures could delay final certification.
Newly elected members are scheduled to take office Jan. 3, 2027, when the 120th Congress convenes. The results will set the balance of power in the House and Senate for the remainder of Trump’s term. The next presidential election is scheduled for November 2028.
The Nov. 3 vote comes after record early turnout. More than 58 million ballots were cast before election day, well above the roughly 45.9 million logged at the same stage in 2022, the University of Florida Election Lab reported.
EARLY VOTING BREAKS RECORDS
Early votes include ballots cast in person at designated polling sites and those returned by mail.
Texas leads with more than 7.7 million early ballots, a sharp rise from the 2022 midterms. In Harris County, home to Houston, turnout topped 1 million before early voting closed.
Other states also posted heavy numbers, according to University of Florida data based on state reports through Sunday: more than 5.4 million ballots in Florida, 2.8 million apiece in Georgia and North Carolina, and 1.8 million in Michigan.
The numbers point to higher engagement but do not show which party stands to gain.
In states that report party registration, Democrats make up about 43% of early ballots, Republicans about 32% and independents or other voters roughly 25%, the University of Florida Election Lab said. Those figures reflect registration, not actual votes, which are secret, and exclude states that do not report party affiliation.
Voters 65 and older account for about 44% of early participants in states reporting age data. Those aged 41 to 65 make up roughly 37%, and voters aged 18 to 25 about 6%.
A LARGER, MORE DIVERSE ELECTORATE
About 249.75 million US citizens aged 18 or older are eligible to vote in 2026, according to Pew Research Center estimates. That is roughly 8.45 million more than in 2022, an increase of about 3%.
The electorate is also diversifying. White Americans make up around 61% of eligible voters, Hispanic Americans about 16%, Black Americans 12% and Asian Americans 5%.
The Hispanic electorate has expanded by about 5.25 million since 2022 to 38.95 million eligible voters. Asian Americans are the fastest-growing group, up around 20% over the same period to 13.65 million.
Eligible voters are not necessarily registered, and not all will cast ballots, a distinction that matters when comparing the electorate with early-vote totals. To vote in federal elections, a person must be a US citizen, be at least 18 by Election Day and meet their state’s registration rules.
WHAT’S ON THE BALLOT
All 435 voting seats in the US House of Representatives are up for election, along with 35 of the 100 Senate seats.
House members serve two-year terms and represent districts apportioned by state population. The Senate seats two members per state, each serving six-year terms, with about one-third of the chamber up every two years. Of the 35 Senate contests, 33 are regularly scheduled and two are special elections to fill vacancies.
Voters will also choose governors in 36 states and thousands of state lawmakers. The National Conference of State Legislatures counts 6,139 legislative seats up for election across 46 states.
In 39 states and the Northern Mariana Islands, voters will decide 146 statewide ballot measures on topics including taxation, public spending and constitutional amendments.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Polling hours vary by state and locality. Results will be reported as ballots are counted, though tight races and differences in counting procedures could delay final certification.
Newly elected members are scheduled to take office Jan. 3, 2027, when the 120th Congress convenes. The results will set the balance of power in the House and Senate for the remainder of Trump’s term. The next presidential election is scheduled for November 2028.
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