Pre-election voting has closed in many states across the country, with over 78 million Americans already casting ballots. According to data from CNN, Edison Research, and Catalyst—a firm analyzing voter turnout—47 states and the District of Columbia have reported early voting totals. Although these figures provide insight into who’s voting, they don’t predict the outcome.
Early voter turnout is significantly lower than in 2020, when the pandemic pushed more than 110 million Americans to vote before Election Day, either in person or by mail—a record-breaking 70% of total votes. In 2024, early ballots are expected to make up about 50% of all votes, more in line with midterm participation rates. While exact numbers won’t be available for weeks, it’s clear that fewer voters opted for pre-election ballots this year.
In some battleground states, in-person early voting exceeded 2020 levels. Georgia and North Carolina, for example, saw record turnout for early, in-person voting, with Georgia surpassing its 2020 numbers. The drop in mail-in voting may be influenced by reduced COVID-19 concerns and stricter mail voting regulations.
In seven competitive states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin—women have led early voting. Catalist data reveals that approximately 1.8 million more women than men voted early across these states, though this gender gap has narrowed compared to 2020. In Georgia, women cast 56% of early votes, while men accounted for 44%. In Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state, 56% of early votes came from women, slightly lower than their 57% share at the same time in 2020.
The early voting data offers insight into voter participation trends and demographics—but with millions expected to vote on Election Day, the final outcome remains uncertain.
Story by : Zenas Fiagbe | Source : CNN, ABC News
