elections2 hours ago
Early Vote Surge May Not Signal Higher Midterm Turnout, Expert Says
Nearly 21 million Americans have cast early ballots for the 2026 midterms, but political scientist Charles Stewart argues this surge does not guarantee higher overall turnout. He notes that many early voters would have participated on Election Day anyway, and that high campaign spending is driving current numbers. While Democrats maintain a mail voting advantage, the gap is narrowing as more shift to in-person voting. Stewart also highlighted unexpected activity in Maine and Iowa, attributing it to campaign mobilization rather than broad demographic shifts.
