A record number of Americans voted early, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections

A record 47,922,669 Americans had voted early by Friday, ahead of Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections. The data was published by the University of Florida’s Election Lab and indicates high turnout in several key states.

The number of votes cast before Election Day surpassed the record of 45.9 million, set in the 2022 midterm elections. The increase is particularly visible in states where Senate races are close.

In Texas, more than six million people had already voted early by Wednesday, while in-person turnout was approximately 50% higher than at the same stage in 2022. Participation also increased in North Carolina, South Carolina and Kansas, where Republican Senator Roger Marshall faces a difficult race.

In states that publish data on political affiliation, Democrats account for approximately 44% of voters who have voted early, compared with 31% Republicans and 25% unaffiliated voters or voters registered with smaller parties. Higher participation was also observed among Black and Hispanic voters.

Experts warn, however, that early voting does not allow the final result to be predicted. Political affiliation does not show whom a voter supported, and Republicans have historically voted more frequently on Election Day itself.