Historic voter turnout keeps getting bigger

More than 10.6 million voters across the U.S. have cast their ballots in the November election as of Tuesday morning, according to data from the U.S. Elections Project.

With exactly three weeks until Election Day, early voting turnout both in person and via mail is far outpacing that of 2016. By Oct. 16 of the last presidential election, only about 1.4 million voters had cast a ballot.

The soaring level of early voting comes as the coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented demand for safer alternatives to casting ballots. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that expanded mail-in voting will lead to widespread voter fraud.

The project, led by University of Florida professor Michael McDonald, reports that Democrats are leading the historic surge of early voting. Out of 4.6 million mail ballots received, Democrats have cast around 2.6 million.

McDonald emphasizes that high turnout from Democrats thus far should not be interpreted as an indicator of final election results.

“Yes, the numbers are very good for Biden. The campaign has to be pleased since they can leverage the banked voters to more efficiently re-target their supporters who have not voted yet. However, it is very likely Republicans will show up in force to vote in-person,” McDonald wrote on the U.S. Elections Project website.

Over 46 million mail ballots requested across the country have yet to be returned.

“I predict in the coming weeks the Democratic narrative will change from euphoria over the apparent large leads in early voting to concern that a disproportionately large number of younger voters have yet to return their mail ballots,” McDonald wrote.

In-person early voting began Monday morning in Georgia and Tuesday morning in Texas, bringing high turnout and long lines.

NBC News reported on Monday that waits at Georgia voting sites lasted as long as 9 hours and 39 minutes. Counties in the state with large non-White populations in particular reported long lines, supporting research that shows race is a key indicator in how long a voter waits in line at a polling station.

Officials in Harris County, Texas’ most populous county, on Tuesday afternoon reported a record high first day of early voting with 68,000 ballots cast. And that was with five hours of voting still to go.

North Carolina, a key swing state, will begin in-person early voting on Thursday. The state uses a “one-stop” early voting model that allows eligible North Carolinians to register and vote at the same time.

The U.S. Elections Project data shows several states have already exceeded 20% of their total votes from 2016, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Virginia and Vermont.

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[tashaglam]

If you're vote didn't matter so much, then they wouldn't be trying so hard to supress your vote. I'm damn proud of all of you who stood in line for hours to vote.

[susanporter]

Go Texas don't let anyone suppress your votd.

[NaNError]

Remember, they don't try soo hard to suppress it if your vote doesn't matter.. SO VOTE VOTE VOTE.

[danielmarcus]

I am so happy to see soooo many people across the country not giving up on voting because of the line!

[GoldieG]

Turned in my ballot. Lets do this people

[JC-vzvn]

this is how it should be ...always not just now

[kzinful]

Hello Shep!! I voted down here in Tx on the 13th, we're breaking records down here also, as in Georgia and others.

Our voices will not be denied

[ivand]

So happy, from Europe. Vote, vote dear friends.

[theonly]

Finally after all this horrible news this year I feel proud to be an American! 🇺🇸 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Beyonder]

This is the biggest concern for the Repundant party. Voter suppression is thier last hope.

[ryarod]

A pleasant surprise.

This is exactly what we need in the USA: Voter participation. Brave men fought and died for our right to cast our vote and decide the course of our own country's politic. I dearly wish and hope that this is the beginning of a new era of United States citizen vote participation.

[susanporter]

Their voting these senators and house of representatives out of office. People have had enough . I voted early and want new faces in office

[annholley]

Georgia resident and I voted early today :)

[Thugsy]

I would support us making NOV 3rd (or whichever day that year) a national holiday.

[ENOREL]

I"m from NC, small town. Took me 45 minutes, from arrival to departure; line hadn't expanded outside the building but was wrapped around a few corners. imho, rain helped because some didn't want to brave the rain.

[maspring]

All Trump's talk about voter suppression is backfiring.
The GOP has changed the Democratic voting patterns.

[angbuhayko]

Wow! Too big to rig, let's go my fellow Americans!!!

[richardalderman]

Do you hear the people sing,
singing the song of angry men,
we are talking about the people who will not be slaves

[mayavik]

I wish every election we keep breaking records until we make a habit of hitting 100% consistently.

[clearfield]

clearly the american people who normally sleep through voting are hysterical. finally. praise jesus.