More than 9.2 million pre-election ballots cast nationally as early and absentee voting continues ahead of the 2022 midterms is a historic first for Texas.
More than 8,680,000 voters had cast a ballot by the end of April. More than 3,000,000 had done the same by May 19, the deadline to complete early voting.
In Texas, nearly 912,000 ballots were cast by April 30, an increase of 4.7 percent compared with the same time in 2018 – 1.5 percent more than the previous three-year period.
In a sign that the 2020 elections may become more competitive, more than 13,000 more ballots were cast on the final day than were cast on the final day in 2018.
Among the big takeaways from Monday’s Election Day report:
1 Texas sees historic turnout for 2020
With more than 9.27 million votes cast by election day, Texas is on track to set a record for the second-largest voter turnout rate in U.S. history, with the state ranking second in the country behind Hawaii.
2 Texas is leading the charge on early voting
The state reported more than 1,100,000 early votes – more than double the number from 2018.
Early voting is expected to make up the majority of the state’s total vote tally come Tuesday.
3 More voters have early voted in Texas than ever before
Nearly 60 percent of Texas voters have voted early. In 2018, voters cast almost 7.5 million early ballots – the first time more voters participated in early voting statewide than in a midterm election.
Four years ago, about 12 percent of voters cast early ballots.
5 Texas voters helped elect a Democrat to the U.S. Senate
Voters in Texas have voted for Democrats in the midterms for the last six years, though turnout has historically been higher when they favor Republicans.
This year’s midterms marks the state’s first time the Democrats are getting a Democrat to win a statewide seat in a competitive year.
Since 2010, Democrats have won statewide offices in Texas by an average of 15.3 points.
6 Texas still out-performing the nation in voter turnout
In 2018
