Pre-election voting is wrapping up across the country, with many states concluding in-person early voting over the weekend. According to data from CNN, Edison Research, and Catalist, more than 77 million ballots have already been cast in 47 states and the District of Columbia.
In the 2020 election, over 110 million Americans voted early either in person or by mail, constituting about 70% of the total voter turnout. While the final number of voters won't be known for weeks, pre-election voting is anticipated to represent approximately 50% of all ballots, aligning more closely with the electorate split seen in the 2022 midterms.
Republicans have shown a stronger presence in pre-election voting compared to 2020. The Trump campaign has actively encouraged Republicans to vote early and by mail this year, a departure from their previous stance against pre-election voting. In 27 states with comparable data, registered Democrats have accounted for 37% of pre-election ballots, while registered Republicans have contributed 35%.
Across the seven most competitive states, the gender gap in early voting mirrors that of 2020 and 2022. Catalist's data reveals that approximately 1.8 million more women than men have voted early in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. However, this gap is narrower than it was at the same point in the previous election cycle, attributed to both lower overall early voting numbers and a slightly reduced percentage gap.
