The key facts

  • About 59 million early ballots: 31.9 million in person, 27.1 million by mail
  • In 2022, about 45.9 million people voted early
  • On Tuesday, all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 senators are being elected

Record early turnout ahead of the US midterm elections

By Tuesday morning, the day of the US midterm elections, around 59 million ballots had already been cast early, Anadolu reports, citing data from the University of Florida (Election Lab). Of these, approximately 31.9 million Americans voted in person, while another 27.1 million returned their ballots by mail.

Comparison with 2022 and data limitations

This is significantly more than in the previous midterm elections in 2022, when about 45.9 million people voted early. The data is compiled by political scientist Michael McDonald based on information from state election authorities; the tracker includes state-level data on in-person and mail voting, and, where recorded, on voter demographics and party registration.

What the numbers show and what they do not

Ballots will be counted on Election Day, although some states allow them to be processed earlier, so the figures do not reveal voters' choices. Party statistics are available only in states that register party affiliation, meaning the data do not provide a complete nationwide picture of party participation. In addition, not all states report daily, so the latest figures for different states may refer to different dates. On Tuesday, Americans are electing all 435 members of the House of Representatives, 35 senators, as well as state and local officials.