More than 50.5 million early votes were cast across the United States as of Saturday morning, according to an analysis by the University of Florida reported by The Guardian.
The figure represents an increase of nearly 5 million early votes compared to the total cast during the 2022 midterm elections.
The surge in participation comes as both parties compete for control of the US House of Representatives and Senate for the final two years of President Donald Trump's second term. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority.
For voters, the outcome will determine which party controls the legislative branch during the remainder of the presidency. According to The Guardian, key issues influencing voters include government corruption, the Iran war, and the rising costs of food and gasoline.
Early voting results show Democratic lead
Among states that collate party information, 10.7 million registered Democrats have voted early, compared with 7.8 million registered Republicans, according to University of Florida data.
The Guardian reported that these party affiliations do not indicate actual votes cast, but noted that polling suggests widespread unhappiness with the presidency of Donald Trump.
Significant increases in early voting compared to the 2022 midterms have been recorded in several states, according to the Associated Press:
- South Carolina: up 83%
- Maine: up 44%
- Kansas: up 34%
- Michigan: up 32%
President Trump has held rallies in previously safe states to support Republican candidates. According to The Guardian, during these efforts, he has commented repeatedly on the physical appearance of candidates and dismissed alarm over rising gasoline costs as secondary to the profits of fossil fuel companies.
Commenting on the demands of the campaign during a Friday night rally in Florida, Trump said, "I thought this was it. I thought I could relax. Twenty-eight days of this crap in a row is a lot. It’s a lot."
Battle for US Senate control in Texas
Democrats are attempting to secure victories in traditionally conservative-leaning states, including Kansas, Alaska, and Texas, to take control of the Senate.
In Texas, more than 7 million people have voted early, an increase of 1.5 million over 2022, according to University of Florida data. In Harris County, which includes Houston, 862,700 people had voted as of Wednesday, compared to 564,500 at the same point in 2022, according to an Associated Press analysis.
Harris County has historically trended Democratic. In 2024, Kamala Harris defeated Donald Trump in the county by nearly 6%, and Democratic Senate candidate Colin Allred previously beat Republican Ted Cruz in the county by roughly 11%.
Despite these local trends, Democrats have not won a statewide election in Texas in more than three decades. The Guardian reported that hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on the Senate race as Republicans fight to defend the state.
Current high-profile contests in Texas include:
- A Senate race between Republican attorney general Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico.
- A gubernatorial race between Republican governor Greg Abbott and Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
In South Carolina, where Trump won the 2024 presidential election by nearly 18%, early voting has increased by 83% over 2022 levels, according to the AP.
It remains unknown whether the surge in early voting will result in a change of Senate control or what the final turnout will be on Tuesday.