Politics · October 30, 2026
In Charts: Early Voting in Several States Surge Past 2022 Totals
Early voting participation for the 2026 midterm elections has surpassed the total early vote count from 2022, with over 46 million ballots cast as of late October. Data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab indicates that eight states have already exceeded their total 2022 early voting figures. While early turnout is high, it remains uncertain if the overall turnout will exceed the 2018 midterm record of 53%. In Texas, Harris County has reported record-breaking participation even as the state attorney general's office pursues litigation against the county regarding its voter outreach efforts.
Read the original coverage
- The Epoch TimesMBFC: Right-Center
In Charts: Early Voting in Several States Surge Past 2022 Totals
Read at The Epoch Times ↗ - The New RepublicMBFC: Left
Ken Paxton’s Office Sues Over Too Many People of Color Early Voting
Read at The New Republic ↗ - Michigan AdvanceMBFC: Left
Early voting sets midterms record, breaking 2022 mark • Michigan Advance
Read at Michigan Advance ↗Also republished by Iowa Capital Dispatch, Maine Morning Star
Reported across the spectrum
- Early voting turnout in 2026 has exceeded the 45.9 million early ballots cast in the 2022 midterm elections.
- Eight states exceeded their total 2022 early voting totals by late October.
- Harris County, Texas, has experienced record-breaking early voting participation.
Reported by only some outlets
- According to the University of Florida's Election Lab, 43.9% of early voters are registered Democrats, 31.3% are Republicans, and 24.8% have no party affiliation.
- Professor Michael McDonald suggests overall turnout may match 2018 levels.
- The Texas Attorney General's office is suing Harris County election officials over a targeted advertisement campaign.
- Harris County has already ceased the advertising campaign that is the subject of the lawsuit.
- All states except Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire allow early in-person voting.
Left-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
characterize the Texas Attorney General's lawsuit as an attempt to suppress voters of color and label the outreach efforts as 'reverse racism' while highlighting the diverse demographics of the targeted area.
Right-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
provide a procedural and statistical overview of the rising decade-long trend in voter turnout and detail the varying state laws regarding absentee and mail-in voting.
Where coverage diverges
Coverage diverges along left/right lines — see Framing tab for specifics.
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CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.