Democrats Shift Toward In-Person Voting for 2026 Midterms

Registered Democratic voters are shifting away from mail-in ballots in preparation for the November 2026 midterm elections. An NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters conducted from September 11-15 found that only 23% of Democrats plan to vote by mail, a significant decrease from 34% in 2024.

Jane Kleeb, chair of the Association of State Democratic Committees, is leading a push for supporters to utilize early and in-person voting to avoid potential postal delays and political interventions. According to the poll, 36% of Democrats intend to vote early in person—a 6 percentage point increase over two years—while another 36% plan to vote on Election Day.

This trend follows efforts by President Donald Trump to restrict mail-in voting and combat voter fraud, though the Supreme Court of the United States blocked his attempts to impose new restrictions. While some observers attribute the shift to these security initiatives, Democratic leaders are framing the move as a strategic effort to ensure maximum turnout for House and Senate contests.