Three days before midterms, more than 43 million Americans have already voted
Early ballots are running nearly 10 million ahead of 2022. Polls show Democrats favored to win the House, while control of the Senate remains up in the air.
Symbolic image · Photo: Funknendai / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (cropped and resized)
More than 43 million Americans had cast ballots in person or by mail as of five days before the Nov. 3 congressional elections, according to an Associated Press analysis cited by Al Jazeera. That is nearly 10 million more than at the same point before the 2022 midterms. Texas had recorded more than 6.3 million early votes as of Wednesday, up about 50% from four years ago. Early turnout was also more than 30% higher in Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Kansas.
The figures do not show how people voted, but national polls favor Democrats. The RealClearPolling average of the generic congressional ballot puts them at 51.4% to 43.2% for Republicans. Kyle Kondik of Sabato's Crystal Ball said the House is "almost certain to flip to Democrats," while the Senate is "much more up in the air." CBS News rates the Senate races in Texas and Ohio among the toss-ups.
President Donald Trump urged supporters at a Florida rally not to grow complacent. "You got to vote," he said. Rallies in Kansas and Iowa that he had canceled are now back on for Sunday, Al Jazeera reported. CBS News had earlier reported the cancellation. Former President Bill Clinton campaigned for Democrats in Mississippi, while Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers is due to appear with House Speaker Mike Johnson this weekend.