Early Voting Exceeds 43 Million Ballots as U.S. Midterm Campaign Enters Final Days

More than 43 million Americans have cast early ballots with days remaining before the U.S. midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3rd, as control of the Senate and House of Representatives hangs in the balance.

Data compiled by the University of Florida Election Lab indicates that four to five million early ballots are being processed daily, outpacing rates observed in recent midterm cycles. Turnout in Texas has already surpassed its 2022 early voting total by roughly 1.75 million votes, exceeding 5.8 million total ballots. High participation has also been reported in Hispanic communities and along border counties in Texas.

In states that collect voter registration by party, Democrats account for 44 percent of early ballots cast, Republicans represent 31.2 percent, and voters with no party affiliation account for 24.7 percent.

National polling tracked by RealClearPolling shows Democrats holding a generic congressional ballot lead of 51.4 percent to 43.2 percent over Republicans.

A recent Harris Poll conducted for The Guardian indicates that the cost of living remains the top driver for voters, with 36 percent identifying it as their primary issue. Rising prices at grocery stores and for everyday necessities continue to shape voter sentiment across competitive districts.

Government corruption emerged as the second-highest concern, with 89 percent of survey respondents stating that public officials using their office for personal or donor financial gain is a problem. Seventy-six percent of voters agreed with the statement: “elected officials care more about enriching themselves than helping people like me”.

Voters surveyed were twice as likely to view the Republican Party as having a larger corruption issue (40 percent) compared to the Democratic Party (21 percent), while 32 percent viewed the issue as equal between both parties. Among independent voters, 34 percent pointed to Republicans, 13 percent to Democrats, and 42 percent viewed both equally.

In Alaska, a legal dispute involving the U.S. Department of Justice could delay final confirmation of the state's Senate result. The conflict involves incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan and an independent candidate also named Dan Sullivan, who is registered as a Republican.

President Donald Trump criticized the independent candidate's presence on the ballot, stating: “It was a scheme. It was an election fraud. Total election fraud.”

Democrat Mary Peltola dismissed the claims regarding the dual candidates, stating:

“I feel like this is yet another diversion from the issue that Alaskans want to talk about, which is affordability.”

Political analysts note that if control of the Senate depends on the Alaska seat, official confirmation of which party holds the majority could be delayed beyond election night.

In the closing stretch of the campaign, political figures have held events across key states:

• President Donald Trump: Replaced scheduled in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa with a series of telephone rallies targeting nearly 20 states. Addressing a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Trump urged voters: "In politics you never know, right? So you got to get out and vote." He added regarding his administration's record: "And I am on the ballot because all of these things that we’ve done, all of these incredible successes that we have."
• Vice President JD Vance: Joined Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton at a rally in Weatherford, Texas, telling the audience: "Texas ain’t surrendering. Texas is not becoming California. It’s going to stay Texas, ain’t that right?"
• Former President Barack Obama: Addressed supporters in Georgia in support of Senator Jon Ossoff. Ossoff's Republican opponent, Mike Collins, responded by saying Obama's appearance demonstrated "the desperation of Jon Ossoff because he knows he’s losing", adding, "If he was winning so big, he wouldn’t have brought anybody in."
• Former Vice President Kamala Harris: Campaigning in Georgia, Harris spoke to volunteers in Macon, telling them: "We have a moment now to turn pain into purpose.” Later, addressing students at Clark Atlanta University regarding down-ballot races, she noted: "Don’t overlook those races, because those are the folks who make decisions about your life every day."

Campaign spending across the country has reached $11.2 billion in advertising, making it the most expensive midterm election cycle on record.