More than 53 million Americans had already voted in the 2026 midterm elections by Sunday morning, passing the entire early-voting total from the last midterms with two days still to go before Election Day on Tuesday, November 3.
According to an analysis by the University of Florida Election Lab, cited by Al Jazeera, 53.14 million people had voted early as of 6:56 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday. That total includes about 29 million in-person early votes and about 23 million mail-in ballots, out of roughly 210 million registered voters.
The figure already stands well above the 2022 midterm cycle, when 46 million people voted early in total. It also marks a sharp rise from Friday evening, when the count stood at about 49.6 million, showing how quickly ballots were still arriving over the weekend.
Texas leads a broad surge
Texas has recorded the largest early-voting surge, with more than 7 million ballots already cast — over 1.5 million more than the state recorded across the whole 2022 midterm cycle, according to the University of Florida analysis.
An Associated Press analysis cited by Al Jazeera found early voting up 83 percent on the same point in 2022 in South Carolina, where Trump won by nearly 18 percentage points in 2024 and where open races for governor and the US Senate are on the ballot.
Kansas recorded a 34 percent increase, with roughly 83,000 more ballots than at the same point four years ago, while Maine was up 44 percent and Michigan had about 409,000 more early votes than in 2022, a 32 percent rise.
What the party figures do — and do not — show
In the states that record voters’ party registration, more than 11 million registered Democrats had voted early, compared with about 8 million registered Republicans, according to the university analysis.
Those figures need careful reading. Party registration is recorded in only some states, so it does not give a complete national picture, and registration does not reveal which candidates a voter actually supported. Early-voting totals also do not predict the final result: a record early vote can mean voters who would have voted on Election Day are simply voting sooner.
Early voting had already ended in some states by Friday, while in others it runs through the weekend. The number of states offering in-person early voting has expanded from 24 in 2000 to 47 in 2026, plus Washington, DC, although periods, eligibility and procedures vary widely by state.
Why it matters
The midterms will decide control of Congress for the remaining two years of President Donald Trump’s term, with all 435 House seats and roughly a third of Senate seats at stake. Republicans currently hold majorities in both chambers.
With two days left, national polls cited by Al Jazeera put support for Democrats at 51.5 percent and Republicans at 43.1 percent — but polls measure opinion, not ballots, and the early-vote totals themselves say nothing about who will win.
What is certain is the scale: Americans are voting earlier, and in larger numbers, than in any previous midterm cycle.
Frequently asked questions
How many people have voted early in the 2026 midterms?
53.14 million as of 6:56 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday, November 1, according to the University of Florida Election Lab — about 29 million in person and 23 million by mail.
Is that a record?
Yes for a midterm cycle. The total already exceeds the 46 million early votes cast across the whole 2022 midterm cycle.
Does early voting predict the winner?
No. Early totals show participation, not choices: party-registration figures cover only some states and do not reveal how anyone voted.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — More than 50 million votes cast in US midterm elections: What does it mean? (1 Nov 2026)
- University of Florida Election Lab — early voting tracker (via Al Jazeera)
- Times of India / Reuters — Early voting surpasses 50.5 million (1 Nov 2026)
- Ynet News — 52 million vote early (1 Nov 2026)
- Emadan — US Midterm Early Voting Hits Record 47.9 Million, Passing 2022 Mark (31 Oct 2026)
- Emadan — Democrats Lead Final Midterm Polls by 8 Points as Voters Head to Tuesday’s Vote
