32 million cast early ballots a week before U.S. midterms; turnout surges in battlegrounds

[Financial News] Early voting is heating up with the U.S. midterm elections just a week away. Turnout has risen noticeably, particularly in areas classified as battlegrounds.
According to an analysis by the Associated Press and CNN, together with data firm Catalist, about 32.6 million people had voted early as of the 27th (local time). This includes in-person voting at polling places before Election Day and voting by mail.
At this rate, as much as two-thirds of all votes in this midterm election are expected to be cast early. That would be similar to the share of early votes in the 2024 presidential election.
Early voting increased in 29 of the 39 states for which meaningful data were compiled, compared with the midterm elections four years ago. Early voting rose across the board, especially in areas classified as battlegrounds in U.S. Senate races.
Among battlegrounds, Kansas saw the biggest increase, at 94.9%, followed by Alaska at 76.7%. Early voting also increased in North Carolina (36.3%), Maine (36.0%), Texas (35.9%), Ohio (35.8%), Iowa (32.7%), Michigan (15.0%), Nebraska (8.3%) and Georgia (6.7%).
Early voting is generally more popular among older voters, and more voters who lean Democratic than Republican favor it. Strong enthusiasm for early voting can therefore be interpreted as meaning that many voters who support Democratic candidates are turning out to vote.
Some analysts, however, say the high early-voting turnout in battlegrounds could also reflect a rally effect, with voters mobilizing to protect Republican candidates who are under pressure. Alongside this analysis, there are also suggestions that Republican-leaning voters may turn out in large numbers for Election Day voting on the 3rd of next month.
[email protected] Hong Chae-wan Reporter