Photo: KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP / Getty Images
Early voting numbers from across the United States show that Democrats are gaining an early advantage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. More than 700,000 Americans have already cast their votes in at least 30 states, a month before Election Day on Tuesday (November 3). According to a CNN analysis, Democratic voters are requesting mail ballots at higher rates than at the same point in 2024, especially in states with key Senate or governor races.
In Iowa, Democrats account for 67% of ballot requests, up from 54% two years ago. In Pennsylvania, that number is 66%, up from 62%. Maine and North Carolina have also seen increases in Democratic ballot requests compared to this stage in the last election cycle. While these figures suggest strong enthusiasm among Democratic voters, experts note that Republicans may be shifting toward other forms of voting, such as in-person ballots, and that early voting data only represents a subset of all voters—usually older and less Republican-leaning.
In Virginia, which has reported the highest early vote totals so far, cities and counties that supported former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 are showing faster early voting turnout than those that supported President Donald Trump. The share of Democratic primary voters is also higher than at this point in 2024, especially in battleground House districts currently held by Republicans. However, the overall number of ballots cast remains a small fraction of the total expected turnout, and early vote data is mostly limited to mail-in ballots at this stage.
Other states are also seeing heightened activity. In Maryland, early voting is set for October 22–29, with Election Day on November 3. The state will decide a governor’s race rematch between Democrat Wes Moore and Republican Dan Cox, along with races for Congress, local offices, and several ballot measures. Voters in Arkansas and other states will also consider major races and ballot initiatives this fall, as noted by Ballotpedia.
Special election results since January 2025 have shown Democrats gaining a net of 13 state legislative seats, all of which flipped from Republican control. Still, Republicans maintain a majority of state legislative seats nationwide. Experts caution that while early trends favor Democrats, much could change as more voters participate closer to Election Day, especially through in-person voting.