Gallup News: Early Voting Higher Than in Past U.S. Midterms

[Wednesdays]

Story Highlights

41% of registered voters plan to vote early, up from 34% in 2018 midterms
More than twice as many plan to vote in person than by absentee ballot
Democrats are more likely than Republicans to vote early

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Four in 10 U.S. registered voters say they plan to vote before Election Day or have already voted, a higher proportion than in recent midterm elections. Significantly more voters plan to vote before Election Day this year (41%) than did in 2010 (26%), the first time Gallup asked the question in a midterm election year.

Consistent with prior years, Gallup finds early voting is most popular among voters living in the Western U.S., with nearly two-thirds of Western residents, 65%, planning to vote early. Western states have longer histories than other states in extending early voting opportunities, with many allowing voting weeks before Election Day and Oregon conducting its elections entirely by mail. More people in the South (41%) than in the East (28%) and Midwest (28%) intend to vote before Election Day.

In addition to regional differences, the poll finds variation in early voting by age and gender. Senior citizens are more inclined than younger voters to cast their ballot before Election Day, with the majority of voters aged 65 and older planning to vote early. Additionally, women are more likely than men to vote before Election Day.

More:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/404558/early-voting-higher-past-midterms.aspx

[vercetti2021]

1. And this is why I don't believe polling

But I'm sure a certain person will come along saying that they're going to vote in droves on Election Day and we are all fucking screwed and doomed and everything else this sky is going to fall and the election blah blah blah Yellowstone's going to erupt. Did I mention doom?! DOOOOOOM!

[Bettie]

5. Right?

I mean, a few seem positively giddy over the prospect of losing a lot of seats.

Meanwhile, I think we'll do well.

But, as I am not a Very Important Person, I can not possibly be right and may not even be allowed to suggest such a thing.

Glad I'm not the only one frustrated by this.

[vercetti2021]

7. Its very tiresome

I mean I understand people want us to have like you know I guess not a head in the sand you know be more realistic about it. But the way people are talking around here is like you know we are totally going to get blown out and all this and when I look at polling and then I look at early voting data it's like where is this so-called Red Wave scare? I mean I have no doubt they will vote on Election Day but I think we will too especially the youth.

[Bettie]

11. I voted early this year, but honestly

there is something about voting on election day that feels more "real" for some reason...maybe it's because I grew up being taken with my grandma and great-grandma to the polls on election day. Each of them took me into the booth with them and explained who they were voting for and why...well, my grandma did, my great-grandma just said "Vote straight ticket Democrats, because FDR saved this country!

So, I get why people might want to vote in person on election day.

I refuse to accept defeat before all the votes have been cast, but a some people around here seem to be really invested in a big loss.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

12. "I mean, a few seem positively giddy over the prospect of losing a lot of seats."

You know, I get that feeling too sometimes. Really strange.

[Wednesdays]

13. Reporting has been all over the map lately

But it seems the Repugs and their allies have been pushing the "doom and gloom" narrative.

[Dawson Leery]

2. kick

[tinrobot]

3. This is promising. Turnout is always good for us.

Just hope people turn out in the right districts.

[Pisces]

4. Early voted today

[Bettie]

6. All of the voting age people in my immediate family have

now voted. That's five of us, all straight D.

[onenote]

10. I voted early over the weekend.

I think its great that people can and do take advantage of early voting. But the reality is that if early voting wasn't available to me, I would have voted on election day. And I suspect you and the others in your family would've done the same thing. So I'm not going to jump to conclusions about the impact of early voting on overall turnout. Hopefully, it will play out that early voting will boost overall turnout rather than simply shift when people vote not who is voting.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Early voting goes up every year.

Back before early voting, exit polling was incredibly accurate. Not so much any more.

Which is why polling this near to Election Day is highly unreliable.

[onenote]

9. An increase in early voting compared to 2018 doesn't surprise me. And doesn't tell me much either

Because of the pandemic, a lot of people who never thought about voting early discovered how easy it can be in 2020. Many of them are voting early again this year. But that doesn't tell me that turnout overall is going to be higher. That will depend on how many people show up to vote on election day. If the overall turnout is comparable to 2018, notwithstanding the higher number of early voters, i won't be all that surprised.

[DLCWIdem]

14. I was going to vote early

I but yesterday was my last chance to vote early and I forgot to go in. So I will go in on election day. I was thinking that it might be better to vote on election day anyway. Then my vote will be counted first.

[Wednesdays]

15. Yeah, don't give up!

Vote as many times as possible!

[DLCWIdem]

16. I think that is against the law. Just once will do

[Wednesdays]

17. Guess my emoji didn't make that obvious.

[DLCWIdem]

19. Didn't see your emoji but just joking back

[TheFarseer]

18. It occurs to me

That could just be a culture shift.