Record 58.7 Million Americans Voted Early in 2026 Midterms, Topping 2022

A record 58,677,062 Americans had already cast a ballot before Election Day in the 2026 midterm elections, according to University of Florida Election Lab data counted by 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday, November 2, 2026 — the largest early-voting total ever recorded in a midterm and about 13 million more than the early vote before Election Day in 2022. The early voting 2026 surge arrived as voters across the country headed to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, to decide control of Congress, governorships and thousands of state and local offices, and it underscored how deeply early and mail voting have become embedded in American elections.

The total comprised 31,897,521 in-person early votes and 26,779,541 mail ballots, the Election Lab figures show. That split matters: in-person early voting accounted for more than half of the pre-Election Day total, while mail ballots made up the rest, reflecting a system in which states now offer voters several different routes to cast a ballot before the traditional polling day.

Key Points

• A record 58,677,062 early ballots were counted by 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday, November 2, 2026, the most ever in a midterm election.
• The total included 31,897,521 in-person early votes and 26,779,541 mail ballots, about 13 million more than the 45.9 million early votes before Election Day in 2022.
• Texas alone recorded more than 7.7 million early votes, Florida more than 5.4 million, and Georgia and North Carolina about 2.8 million each.
• In states reporting party registration, Democrats accounted for about 43% of early ballots, Republicans about 32% and independents and others about 25%.
• Analysts cautioned that the record does not by itself predict overall turnout or which party will win, because registration does not reveal how individuals voted.

What Happened

The University of Florida Election Lab, which tracks early voting nationwide, put the pre-Election Day total at 58,677,062 ballots by late Monday evening. The figure surpassed the previous midterm benchmark by a wide margin: 45.9 million early votes had been recorded before Election Day in 2022. The increase of roughly 13 million ballots came even though midterm elections historically draw far fewer voters than presidential elections, making the scale of the early vote this year striking.

State figures told the same story of heavy early participation. Texas alone recorded more than 7.7 million early votes, over 1.5 million more than at the same stage in 2022, with Harris County, home to Houston, above one million. Florida recorded more than 5.4 million early votes. Georgia and North Carolina recorded about 2.8 million each, and Michigan about 1.8 million. Those state totals helped push the national figure to its record level well before polls opened on Election Day itself.

Background and Context

Early voting has grown steadily over the past two decades as states expanded in-person early voting windows and mail-ballot access. The 2020 presidential election, held during the coronavirus pandemic, produced an explosion of mail voting, and many of those habits persisted. In 2022, the last midterm, 45.9 million people voted early — itself a high figure for a non-presidential year — and analysts watched closely to see whether 2026 would match it.

Early Voting 2026: The State Picture

Texas led the nation in raw early votes, with more than 7.7 million ballots cast before Election Day. That figure alone exceeded the entire pre-Election Day total of most states and represented an increase of more than 1.5 million over the same stage in 2022. Harris County, the state's largest county, passed one million early votes on its own, a milestone that highlighted the scale of participation in the Houston area.

Florida, another large and closely watched state, recorded more than 5.4 million early votes. Georgia and North Carolina, both home to competitive Senate and House races, each recorded about 2.8 million. Michigan, with a closely fought governor's race and a key Senate contest, recorded about 1.8 million early votes. Together, these large-state totals accounted for a substantial share of the national record.

Reactions and What the Party Breakdown Does — and Does Not — Show

In states that report party registration for early voters, Democrats accounted for about 43% of early ballots, Republicans about 32% and independents and others about 25%. Those figures drew immediate attention from campaign watchers, but analysts urged caution in reading them as a prediction of the result.

Party registration does not reveal how an individual voted. Registered Democrats can vote for Republican candidates, registered Republicans can vote for Democratic candidates, and independents — a quarter of the early electorate in reporting states — can split in either direction. In addition, the states that report party breakdowns are not a representative sample of the country, and early voters are not necessarily representative of Election Day voters, who have historically leaned more Republican in recent cycles.

Analysts also cautioned that a record early vote does not by itself guarantee record overall turnout. Some early voters may simply have shifted the timing of a vote they would have cast anyway, rather than representing new voters drawn into the electorate. The true test of turnout will come when Election Day votes are added to the early total and states certify their final figures in the days and weeks ahead.

Why It Matters

The record early vote matters for several reasons. First, it shows that early voting is no longer a niche option but a central part of how Americans participate. More than 58 million people — a figure larger than the entire population of most countries — had already voted before the traditional Election Day, reshaping campaign strategy, polling and election-night reporting.

What Happens Next

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Americans voted early in the 2026 midterms? A record 58,677,062 early ballots had been counted by 11:30 p.m. ET on Monday, November 2, 2026, according to University of Florida Election Lab data.

How does that compare with 2022? It is about 13 million more than the 45.9 million early votes recorded before Election Day in the 2022 midterms.

How many early votes were in person and how many by mail? The total comprised 31,897,521 in-person early votes and 26,779,541 mail ballots.

Which states recorded the most early votes? Texas led with more than 7.7 million, followed by Florida with more than 5.4 million, Georgia and North Carolina with about 2.8 million each, and Michigan with about 1.8 million.

Does the early-vote record predict who will win? No. Analysts caution that party registration figures do not reveal how individuals voted, and early voters are not necessarily representative of the full electorate.

Read more on US News Pulse: Ohio's record 1.7 million early ballots, the Maine Senate race that may not be decided on election night, and what a 50-50 Senate would mean for control of the chamber.