A record 47.9 million Americans had already voted in next week’s US midterm elections by midday on Friday, October 30, passing the previous midterm early-voting record, according to figures from the University of Florida’s Election Lab reported by AFP and carried by multiple outlets.
The Election Lab had recorded 47,922,669 early votes nationwide by midday Friday, surpassing the 45.9 million early ballots cast before Election Day in 2022. With voting still open and Election Day itself falling on Tuesday, November 3, the final early-vote total will be higher still.
The milestone is a distinct new development from the 43-million figure reported earlier in the week: it is the moment the 2022 record was actually broken, not just approached.
Where turnout is surging
Participation has surged in key battleground states. In Texas, more than six million people had voted early by Wednesday, according to official figures, with in-person turnout running around 50% ahead of the same stage in 2022. Georgia broke its own state midterm record for early in-person voting on Thursday.
University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald, who oversees the Election Lab, has also pointed to rising participation among Black and Hispanic voters in states that report racial and ethnic data, with particularly strong turnout in heavily Hispanic communities along the Texas-Mexico border. In Georgia, women accounted for 56% of ballots cast by Thursday, compared with 44% for men.
Who is voting early — and what it does not mean
In states that track party registration, registered Democrats made up around 44% of early voters, compared with 31% for Republicans and 25% for unaffiliated or minor-party voters, according to Election Lab figures.
Experts cautioned against reading those shares as a prediction of the outcome. Party registration does not reveal which candidates voters supported, and tens of millions more Americans are expected to cast ballots on Tuesday itself. Higher early-vote totals also do not automatically mean higher overall turnout, since some voters may simply be casting ballots earlier than they did in 2022.
What the record does show is enthusiasm and organisation: with four days still to go before Election Day, Americans had already beaten the entire pre-election total of the last midterms. AP reporting cited alongside the figures noted that, measured five days before Election Day, more than 10 million additional voters had taken part compared with 2022.
What happens next
Early voting continues into the weekend in many states, and the Election Lab count will keep rising until polls close on Tuesday. The elections will decide control of the House and Senate for the final two years of Donald Trump’s presidency, with all 435 House seats, 35 Senate seats and 36 governorships on the ballot. The final turnout figure — and, more importantly, who actually won — will only be known after Tuesday’s votes are counted.
Frequently asked questions
How many people have voted early? 47,922,669 by midday Friday, October 30, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab — a new midterm record.
What was the old record? 45.9 million early votes cast before Election Day in 2022.
Does the early-vote lead mean Democrats will win? No. Experts warn party registration does not show how people voted, and tens of millions more will vote on Election Day.
Sources
- AFP via Channels Television: Early voting hits record 48 million, US midterm election — https://www.channelstv.com/2026/10/30/early-voting-hits-record-48-million-us-midterm-election/
- AFP via The News: US midterm early voting hits record 48 million — https://www.thenews.pk/print/1446026-us-midterm-early-voting-hits-record-48-million
- WIO News: US midterms — early voting crosses record 47.9 million, Democrats lead Republicans — https://www.wionews.com/world/us-midterms-early-voting-crosses-record-47-9-million-democrats-lead-republicans-1793385543189/amp
- News18: Nearly 48 million Americans have voted in US midterms, Democrats outpace GOP in early ballots — https://www.news18.com/world/nearly-48-million-americans-have-voted-in-us-midterms-democrats-outpace-gop-in-early-ballots-ws-l-10405874.html
Related coverage
- More Than 43 Million Ballots Already Cast as US Midterm Early Voting Surges
- Democrats Lead Final Midterm Polls by 8 Points as Voters Head to Tuesday’s Vote
