Record Early Voting Surpasses 50 Million Ahead of Midterms
More than 50 million Americans have already cast ballots in the 2026 US midterm elections, according to an analysis by the University of Florida, as early voting surges past previous records with just days remaining before Election Day on Tuesday, November 3.
As of Sunday morning, 53.14 million registered voters had voted early, including 29 million in-person and 23 million mail-in ballots, according to the University of Florida data. In the 2022 midterms, 46 million people had voted early at the same point. The Guardian reported more than 50.5 million early votes as of Saturday morning, already nearly 5 million more than the total early votes cast in 2022.
Early voting has been particularly strong in key battleground states. Texas has seen more than 7 million early votes, up from 4.2 million at the same point in 2022—a 50 percent increase. Georgia recorded over 2.5 million ballots cast by Friday. In Harris County, Texas, 862,700 people had voted as of Wednesday, compared with 564,500 at the same point in 2022.
"The surge comes as voters show heightened enthusiasm for Tuesday's election," according to The Guardian, which noted that the numbers are strongest among Democrats. More than 11 million registered Democrats have voted early, compared with about 8 million registered Republicans, according to the University of Florida analysis.
Pope Leo XIV Makes History with Mail-In Ballot
In an unprecedented development, Pope Leo XIV has become the first pontiff to vote in a US election. The Chicago-born pope submitted his mail-in ballot in Illinois, the BBC reported. The Holy See Press Office said the pope "expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes."
Pope Leo XIV, the first US citizen to hold the Vatican's highest seat after his selection in May 2025, requested his ballot from the Will County Clerk's Office on October 3. The Vatican later announced he had surgery to remove a lower lobe of his right lung after being diagnosed with lung cancer, but confirmed he will travel to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru in early November as planned.
The pope's participation comes amid tensions with the Trump administration over issues including immigration enforcement and the US-Israel war with Iran. "I don't think he's doing a very good job," Trump said of the pope in April. "We don't like a Pope that's going to say that it's OK to have a nuclear weapon."
High Stakes as Control of Congress Hangs in the Balance
The 2026 midterm elections will determine which political party controls Congress and have a significant impact on the final years of Donald Trump's presidency. Republicans are defending a 53-47 Senate majority, while Democrats need a net gain of two seats to take control of the Senate and 218 seats to flip the House.
National polls show Democrats leading Republicans by 8.2 percentage points in the congressional ballot average, 51.4 percent to 43.2 percent, according to RealClearPolling. A separate Economist/YouGov survey found that 44 percent of registered voters expect Democrats to control the House after the election, compared with 31 percent who expect Republicans to retain control. Expectations for the Senate are closer, with 39 percent expecting a Democratic majority and 36 percent a Republican one.
"A big Democratic lead in House generic ballot polling suggests that the House is almost certain to flip to Democrats," Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told Al Jazeera. "However, that does not mean the Senate is going to flip – it certainly could, but it is much more up in the air."
The president's tariff policy and his decision to launch a war with Israel on Iran are hurting his Republican Party, according to Al Jazeera, with both blamed for contributing to a cost-of-living crisis. The Guardian reported that affordability, AI, and Iran are among the key issues guiding voters' decisions.
Battleground Map Expands for Democrats
The battleground map has expanded significantly, with Democrats aiming to pull off victories in traditionally conservative-leaning states such as Texas, Alaska, and even Kansas that could allow them to take control of the Senate. In Texas, Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton faces Democrat James Talarico in a closely watched Senate race, while Republican Governor Greg Abbott is seeking re-election against Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Hundreds of millions of dollars have poured into the Senate race.
"Early voting enthusiasm has been higher among Democrats this year," Al Jazeera noted, though party affiliations are not indicative of actual votes cast. Polling has shown widespread unhappiness with the presidency of Donald Trump and unusually close races in states usually won comfortably by Republicans.
A Changing Electorate and What It Means for November 3
The record early voting numbers reflect a broader trend of Americans choosing to cast ballots before Election Day. Most of the 50 states allow early in-person voting while all of them allow mail-in voting. The number of states offering in-person early voting expanded from 24 in 2000 to 47 in 2026, plus Washington, DC. However, early-voting periods, eligibility requirements, and procedures vary widely by state.
President Trump unsuccessfully tried to curb mail-in voting before the elections, according to Al Jazeera, but about 23 million people have already voted through mail-in ballots. The surge in early voting has also been fueled by voter enthusiasm on both sides, with Trump reversing course and reinstating cancelled campaign rallies in Kansas and Iowa in the final days.
The high turnout could have significant implications for the outcome. Early voting data suggests Democrats are more energized, but Republicans have historically favored in-person voting on Election Day. The final results will depend on how many of these early votes are actually counted and how the remaining voters turn out on Tuesday.
With more than 50 million ballots already cast, the 2026 midterms are on track to see record participation. The stakes are clear: control of Congress, the direction of the Trump presidency, and key policy issues from affordability to foreign policy are all on the ballot. As Election Day approaches, all eyes will be on whether the early voting surge translates into a decisive outcome.
For voters still planning to cast ballots, early voting options remain available in most states through the weekend, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Polls will be open across the country, and the results will shape the political landscape for years to come.
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