More than 50 million votes cast in US midterm elections: What does it mean? – Al Jazeera

More than 50 million votes cast in US midterm elections: What does it mean?  Al Jazeera

A record number of early votes is cast as both parties campaign before Tuesday’s polls. Early voting has surged in the 2026 United States midterm elections with more than 50 million Americans casting their ballots as of Sunday, according to an analysis by the University of Florida. Most of the 50 states allow early in-person voting while all of them allow mail-in voting. About 23 million people voted through mail-in ballots, which President Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to curb before the elections. With two days left to go before Election Day on Tuesday, support for Democrats was 51.5 percent and for Republicans 43.1 percent, the latest national polls suggested. The president’s tariff policy and his decision to launch a war with Israel on Iran are hurting his Republican Party.

Both have been blamed for contributing to a cost-of-living crisis. Why are so many Americans voting early? How does it work? Early voting gives US citizens a chance to cast their ballots before Election Day. According to the US government, people may vote early in person in most states by visiting designated polling stations. All states offer vote-by-mail options, in which registered voters may receive and return ballots by Election Day by mail. The number of states offering options to vote in person before November expanded from 24 in 2000 to