Early Voter Turnout Surges Across Multiple US States
Voters in New York, Nebraska, Vermont, Maryland, and Virginia reported significant increases in early and mail-in participation ahead of the November 3 elections.
Early voting turnout surged across several states leading up to the November 3, 2026, elections, with millions of Americans casting ballots before Election Day. In New York, over 1.9 million residents voted early, a 67% increase from four years ago, with particularly high activity in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
In Nebraska, Todd Wiltgren, the Lancaster County Election Commissioner, extended office hours to accommodate long lines of residents who preferred in-person voting over mail-in systems. Wiltgren noted that the turnout exceeded previous statewide general elections. Similarly, Montgomery County, Virginia, saw early in-person voting rise approximately 165% compared to the 2022 midterms, increasing from 5,150 to over 13,600 voters.
Maryland also reported growth in Montgomery County, where 93,190 residents voted early and 82,979 mail-in ballots were returned. In Vermont, more than 150,000 residents participated early or via absentee voting. While Vermont's early voting rate of 64% is a decline from the 76% peak during the 2020 pandemic, it remains more than double the levels recorded in 2016 and 2018.
These trends occur amid high-stakes contests for control of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. While some regions saw a shift toward in-person early voting due to convenience or distrust of mail systems, others continue to rely on universal mailed ballot systems established during the COVID-19 pandemic.
