Early Voting Turnout Strong, Security Concerns Rise

Early voting is underway or opening in many U.S. jurisdictions ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, midterm election, with dates, rules and deadlines varying locally; Delaware voting runs Oct. 22 through Nov. 1, and Florida’s deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Oct. 22. Turnout has been strong in several areas: Georgia reported nearly 1.2 million early ballots, above its pace at the same point in 2022, and Grayson County, Texas, counted more than 10,000 ballots in the first two days; Texas early-voting figures also showed more voters with Democratic-primary histories than Republican-primary histories, though analysts cautioned they are not predictive. Earlier reports included a first-day voting record in Dallas County and strong turnout in several other counties, alongside printer problems in Collin County and a ballot-card issue at one South Carolina site that led to paper ballots and waits. West Virginia registration has risen by 18,000 since the primary, and the state is requiring photo identification for the first time in a general election. Washington officials have strengthened ballot-box security after suspicious mailings and ballot-box damage and are urging voters to return ballots early or use drop boxes near Election Day. Election officials advise voters to check official local resources for hours, locations, identification rules and deadlines.