43 million Americans have already voted in 2026 midterms
Participation is up sharply in key Senate states, including a 50% jump in Texas and an 83% rise in South Carolina.
By Tunde Bailey ·
More than 43 million Americans cast ballots early in the 2026 midterm elections. This total is nearly 10 million higher than the count at the same stage of the 2022 cycle. The figures cover 47 states and Washington, D.C.
Voting numbers show a distinct surge in states with competitive Senate races. In Texas, more than 6.3 million voters cast ballots by Wednesday. That represents a 50% increase over the 4.2 million who voted early four years ago. Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Kansas also saw advance voting rise by more than 30% compared to the same period in 2022.
South Carolina recorded the steepest growth among those states. Early voting there is up 83% from the 2022 benchmark. Voters in that state are selecting a successor to the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. The data reflects participation five days before Election Day.
In jurisdictions that report party affiliation, Democrats and Republicans have participated in different numbers. Approximately 6.8 million Democrats have cast early ballots. About 5.2 million Republicans have done so. These counts do not capture all early voters or identify specific candidate choices.
The upcoming election will determine control of Congress. Republicans currently hold both the House and the Senate. The vote takes place two years into President Donald Trump’s second term.
