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US midterms 2026: early voting tops 33 million a week before Election Day
In brief
With one week to go before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections, more than 33.3 million Americans had already cast a mail-in or early in-person ballot as of the afternoon of October 27, according to NBC News's early vote tracker. Spectrum News, citing data from 47 states and Washington, DC, put the figure above 31 million earlier the same day. Experts say early turnout is running ahead of the 2022 and 2018 midterms in many states.
The key numbers
- Total early votes: 33,306,918 nationally (NBC News tracker, updated 2:30 p.m. ET on October 27).
- How people voted: about 16.1 million by mail and 17.2 million in person.
- Mail ballots out: about 58.1 million requested or sent.
- For comparison: nearly 122 million people voted in total in the 2022 midterms, NPR reports.
Where turnout is up
An Associated Press analysis on October 21 found early voting up 74% in Texas compared with the same point in 2022, more than double in Kansas, and up over 30% in Maine, North Carolina and Ohio. Spectrum News reports that South Carolina has already passed its early-vote record for a midterm, and nearly 2 million people have voted early in Georgia.
What it does and doesn't tell us
Early numbers show how many people are voting, not who they are voting for. University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald, who runs the UF Election Lab tracker, told NPR that early voting is often a poor predictor of final results, partly because supporters of different parties tend to vote at different times. Votes are counted on and after Election Day, and results stay unofficial until each state certifies them.
VSH take: Big early turnout usually means long counting nights in close races, so expect some results to take days, not hours.
Read more: What is on the ballot · Latest midterm polls · US elections hub · Mayor elections 2026
ViralScopeHub is neutral and not affiliated with any candidate, party or election office. Early-vote figures change daily; check your state election office for official numbers and voting rules.
Why it matters
Control of the US Congress is decided on November 3, and early turnout shows how engaged voters are heading into the final week.
People also ask
How many people have voted early in the 2026 midterms?
More than 33.3 million mail-in and early in-person ballots as of October 27, 2026, according to NBC News's tracker.
When is Election Day for the 2026 midterms?
Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Does high early voting predict who will win?
No. Experts say early turnout is often a poor predictor of final results because different groups tend to vote at different times.
Where can I find official early-vote numbers?
Your state or county election office publishes official figures. Trackers such as the UF Election Lab collect those numbers in one place.
Related free tools: Time Zone Converter
Sources
- NBC News: Tracking the 2026 early vote: midterm elections
- Spectrum News: A week before the midterms, legal fights over ballots unfold as early voting surges
- AP News: Voter turnout is soaring in some key states, AP analysis shows
- NPR: Millions of Americans have already cast their votes for the midterms, data shows
- UF Election Lab: 2026 early voting tracker
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