Early Voting Data Shows Democratic Advantage in 30 States
Democratic voters are requesting mail-in ballots at higher rates than in 2024 across 30 states ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
Early voting data from at least 30 states indicates a motivation advantage for the Democratic Party ahead of the November 3, 2026, midterm elections. More than 700,000 Americans have already cast ballots, with Democrats requesting mail-in ballots at higher rates than during the same period in 2024.
Significant increases in Democratic ballot requests are appearing in key states. In Iowa, requests rose to 67% from 54% in 2024, while Pennsylvania saw an increase to 66% from 62%. Maine and North Carolina also reported gains, with requests reaching 57% and 42% respectively. In Virginia, Democratic primary participants outpace Republicans by approximately 18 points statewide, and areas that supported Kamala Harris in 2024 are reporting faster turnout than those that supported Donald Trump.
While Democrats have gained 13 state legislative seats in special elections since January 2025, the Republican Party maintains a national majority of state legislative seats. In Maryland, the governor's race features a rematch between Wes Moore and Dan Cox.
Analysts note that these trends may be skewed because early voting often represents older demographics and mail-in ballots typically lean Democratic. The data does not reveal how individual secret ballots were cast, as many Republicans prefer in-person voting.
