With one week to go until Election Day, more than 51 million Americans have already cast their ballots, according to the University of Florida's Election Lab tracker. Early voting data shows that about 27 million people have voted in person, while nearly 24 million have returned mail-in ballots as of Tuesday afternoon.
The totals represent nearly one-third of the total turnout from 2020, when more than 154 million people voted amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted many to opt for mail-in ballots.
The 2024 race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump is shaping up to be very close, with the candidates neck-and-neck in critical battleground states. Democrats hold a slight edge in early voting, with 39.5% of ballots cast by registered Democrats, compared to 36.1% by Republicans.
Harris' campaign has focused on encouraging early voting among key groups, like young voters, who are considered less likely to turn out on Election Day. Meanwhile, Republicans, who have historically been skeptical of early voting, have softened their stance this cycle.
The tracker shows women have cast 54.1% of early ballots so far, giving them an edge over male voters. Voters over age 41 make up nearly 80% of the ballots, while younger voters, aged 26 and younger, account for just 7%.
Record high early turnout has been reported in the key battlegrounds of Georgia and North Carolina.
The UF Election Lab tracker is maintained by professor Michael McDonald. Some states' reported early vote data had been updated as recently as Tuesday, while others were a few days behind.
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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