Early Votes POUR In—28M Cast So Far!

As the 2024 presidential election looms, early voting is already underway in over three dozen states, including all seven battleground states. With Election Day still weeks away, more than 28 million Americans have already cast their ballots. According to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab, the majority of voters are opting for mail-in ballots. Early data shows Democrats are leading in the number of early votes, although more Republicans are casting ballots in person.

This surge in early voting is setting records in some key battleground states, such as North Carolina and Georgia. In Georgia, which was crucial in President Biden’s 2020 victory, more than 25% of active voters have already submitted their ballots, according to Gabe Sterling, the chief operating officer for Georgia’s Secretary of State. Meanwhile, North Carolina, despite recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, saw over 353,000 voters on the first day of early voting—surpassing the 2020 record of 348,000.

Record Early Voter Turnout

The early voting numbers are especially high in Georgia and North Carolina, where the stakes are high for both parties. Georgia, with its large share of undecided voters and growing political importance, has seen significant early turnout. The numbers are even more impressive in North Carolina, a state still grappling with the aftermath of a natural disaster. Despite this, voters turned out in record numbers, reflecting the urgency many feel about the election.

Early voting in Georgia will continue until November 1, while North Carolina’s early in-person voting runs until November 2. Other battleground states, like Nevada, have also seen strong early voting turnout. In Nevada, over 397,000 voters have already cast their ballots, with 40% being registered Republicans, according to the state’s Secretary of State.

Party Lines Don’t Predict Outcomes

While early data may show more Democrats voting by mail and more Republicans voting in person, experts caution against reading too much into these numbers. David Becker, a CBS News election law contributor and executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, emphasized that early voting breakdowns by party do not necessarily predict the outcome of the election.

“We won’t know until the votes get counted,” Becker said. He also noted that more early voting is beneficial for election security and administration. “The more early voting there is, the better it is for election administration and security. Those who have already cast their ballots no longer risk standing in long lines on Election Day or getting to their polling place after it’s closed.”

Changes Since the 2020 Election

The 2020 election saw record numbers of mail-in ballots due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 60 million people having voted by October 25. At that time, Democrats had cast twice as many mail ballots as Republicans, but the GOP had a slight lead in in-person early voting. However, 2020 was an outlier, with unprecedented circumstances driving up mail-in voting rates.

Becker described 2020 as a “unicorn election,” noting that the pandemic reshaped how people voted and prompted many states to expand mail-in voting options. Former President Donald Trump’s efforts to cast doubt on the integrity of mail-in voting also shaped how each party approached early voting.

Still, early voting has steadily increased over the last two decades, even before the pandemic. By the 2024 election, 47 states offer early voting options, whether by mail or in person. In contrast, only 24 states offered early voting options during the 2000 general election, according to the Center for Election Innovation and Research.

Trump’s Mixed Messaging on Early Voting

While former President Trump has been a vocal critic of mail-in and early voting in past elections, his stance has evolved somewhat this election cycle. During a rally in Pennsylvania this September, Trump referred to early voting as “stupid” and warned of potential fraud. However, in a recent radio interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade, Trump encouraged his supporters to vote early, even indicating that he plans to do so in Florida.

“I have the old standard of the Tuesday vote and all,” Trump said. “Voting early, I guess, would be good… But the main thing is you got to get out. You got to vote. And I’ll be voting early. I’ll be running early.”

This represents a notable shift from Trump’s previous statements, where he consistently urged his supporters to avoid mail-in voting. In June, he released a video urging Republicans to use “every appropriate tool available” to defeat Democrats, including voting early, by mail, or absentee.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) has also made efforts to push its supporters to vote early. Lara Trump, co-chair of the RNC, echoed these sentiments, stating, “We want you to bank your vote. We don’t want you to have to worry about waiting in super long lines on Election Day.”

What’s at Stake?

With early voting in full swing and record numbers being set in several key states, it is clear that the 2024 election is shaping up to be a historic one. Both parties are rallying their bases, and the turnout so far indicates a high level of engagement among voters. However, the true impact of these early votes won’t be clear until all ballots are counted.

As Election Day approaches, expect the campaigns to continue pushing their voters to the polls—whether in person or by mail—as both sides recognize the importance of banking as many votes as possible before November 5.