Voting

Record Early Voting Amid High-Stakes Midterm Races

Early voting for the Nov. 3, 2026, elections begins Oct. 19 in Wichita, Knox and Tom Green counties, Texas, and runs through Oct. 30; Wichita and Knox voters may cast ballots at any polling location in their county. Stearns County, Minnesota, has also opened early voting at St. Cloud City Hall and the county Government Center, with additional voting hours listed through Nov. 2.

Trump threatens jail over 20,000 disputed California ballots

Trump vowed California officials "will all go to jail for a long period of time!!!" after the DOJ sued over about 20,000 flagged LA County ballots.

US Faith Groups Urge Christian Voter Turnout

Christian leaders and advocates are urging greater participation in public life, arguing that faith communities should help people engage with elections and everyday issues—not simply stay on the sidelines. U.S. Catholic bishops stress voting as both a responsibility and a right that must be protected, while calls for church involvement range from encouraging turnout to helping congregants take part beyond the ballot box.

Early Voting Begins in Several States for Midterms

Early voting for the Nov. 3, 2026, general election is opening on different schedules across U.S. counties: it begins Oct. 24 in Livingston County, New York, and Branch County, Michigan, while Williamson County, Tennessee, voting runs through Oct. 29. Santa Barbara County, California, set Oct. 19 as the voter-registration deadline.

Early Voting Sees Record Turnout in Georgia

Early voting is beginning on staggered schedules across Iowa, Georgia, Tennessee and Arkansas ahead of the Nov. 3 elections, with officials urging voters to prepare and parties in Iowa ramping up turnout efforts, including absentee voting. Georgia and Arkansas voters will decide statewide races alongside local contests and ballot measures, while Tennessee voters are being encouraged to review three proposed constitutional amendments.

Poll: Trump Voters Less Enthusiastic Than Harris Supporters

A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 48% of voters who backed Kamala Harris in 2024 are very enthusiastic about voting in the November midterms, compared with 30% of Trump voters, raising concerns about a Republican turnout disadvantage. The poll also points to possible Republican vulnerabilities among men and Hispanic voters, though a GOP strategist said the enthusiasm gap could narrow as Election Day approaches.

Early voting opens in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois and Maine counties

Early voting is underway or beginning across parts of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois and Maine, with options including in-person voting, vote centers and mail or absentee ballots. Deadlines and hours vary by location; Election Day is Nov. 3, and Maine also allows eligible residents to register and vote during early voting or on Election Day.

Voting Rights Updates Span Companies, US Advocacy

Virginia voters will consider a constitutional amendment on restoring voting rights, while advocates and opponents differ over its merits. Separately, voting-rights groups say recent state election laws have restricted access, while President Donald Trump argues changes are needed to protect election integrity.

Kansas Democrat pitches two-term limit, no Trump investigations

Kansas Democratic Senate candidate Adam Hamilton says he would serve no more than two terms and focus on constituents rather than investigating President Donald Trump, pitching himself as an outsider in a competitive race. Conservative commentary, meanwhile, criticizes his religiously framed political views and points to past sermons as a vulnerability with voters.

US Counties Set Early Voting Dates, Sites

Early voting options for the Nov. 3 elections vary by location: Ohio voting starts Oct. 6, Nevada County’s begins Oct. 5, Ascension Parish’s runs Oct. 20–27, and Tulsa County’s takes place Oct. 28–31; Chicago also opens two Loop voting sites. Officials are offering in-person and, in some areas, mail or drop-box options, with schedules and locations set by local election offices.

Voice by Vote

Hegseth cites 300,000 unregistered troops in push for 2026 midterms

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged service members and their families to register and vote in the 2026 midterms, citing an estimate that 300,000 troops were unregistered in 2024 and pointing them to federal absentee-voting options. His appeal drew scrutiny over its political framing and the administration’s efforts to restrict mail voting, with voting-rights advocates warning that changes could jeopardize military and overseas ballots.

Groups Warn Funding Shortfalls Could Depress Midterm Turnout

Several of the nation’s largest left-leaning voter engagement and racial justice organizations face steep funding shortfalls and staffing cuts as midterm voting ramps up, raising alarms among Democrats that turnout and voter protections could be weakened, especially for communities of color, amid donor pullback since 2024 and no Voting Rights Act protections. These groups warn that reduced funding could hinder registration, GOTV, and defenses against election interference in the Trump era.

DOJ charges 16 with alleged election crimes across seven states

DOJ charged 16 people across seven states with alleged election crimes including noncitizen voting; one defendant allegedly voted nine times from 2008 to 2024.

Ranked-Choice Voting Debate Expands Across States

Across Irvine, Longmont, Alaska, and Montana, advocates push ranked-choice voting as expanding voter choice and moderating outcomes, while critics warn it adds ballot exhaustion, cost, and complexity; Alaska voters also face a parallel battle over open primaries, campaign disclosures, and other election reforms, including a ballot measure to keep or repeal RCV. Montana defends the preservation of write-in rights even as election reforms and Alaska’s ballot measures reshape how votes are cast and counted.

Absentee Voting Underway in Minnesota, Planned in Mississippi

Absentee and early in-person voting are underway across Minnesota communities—including Pipestone, Monticello, and Ramsey County—with details on where to vote, how ballots are returned, and deadlines for mail ballots. Mississippi, meanwhile, has begun absentee voting with updated procedures designed to clarify ballot tabulation and ensure voters understand the new process.

USPS halts Trump mail-voting system work after Supreme Court blocks order

USPS halted Trump's Federal Mail Ballot Portal after the Supreme Court block; Steiner said, "There's an injunction so we're not doing anything."

Early Voting Begins in Four States for 2026 Election

Voters across Northern Virginia will face local ballot items, from Fairfax City’s consideration of a 1% local sales tax earmarked for school and transit projects to Loudoun County’s $356.5 million in bonds for schools, safety, and transportation, alongside three constitutional amendments on voting, abortion, and related rights. The ballot also features high-profile federal and state races, including U.S. Senate and House contests and a Prince William County special House of Delegates election, with early voting already underway in several states.

Black Caucus Institute Launches $4.5M Turnout Drive

CBC Institute launches $4.5M SO VOTE drive on Sept. 15, 2026, to mobilize Black, rural and young voters in Georgia, Mississippi and 16 House districts.

Supreme Court Weighs Trump Bid to Expand Voter Verification

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to revive or modify the voter verification SAVE database as states review registration records, adding another major election-related case to the court’s docket. Separately, the administration’s push to enforce new federal mail-ballot rules faces legal hurdles with injunctions and Supreme Court review, raising questions about election integrity and potential disenfranchisement while states run upcoming elections.

Judge extends block on Trump-ordered USPS mail-ballot rule, citing disenfranchisement risk

Federal judges across multiple cases have extended or converted injunctions blocking the USPS’s mail-in voting rule, citing a real risk of disenfranchising millions and noting there is no evidence of mail-in voting fraud to justify rapid implementation. The rulings, tied to President Trump’s March executive order and ongoing legal battles before the midterm elections, involve states and voting groups challenging the rule's requirements for voter data submission and unique barcodes, with courts signaling possible Supreme Court review.

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to reinstate mail ballot rules before midterms

Study Finds 29% of Chatbot Voting Replies Inaccurate

Multiple studies show AI chatbots frequently give election-related information that is incomplete, outdated, or inaccurate, with about one-third of replies affected and notable gaps in Spanish-language responses; newer models vary in accuracy, with GPT-5.5 and Gemini 3.5 Flash among higher performers in some tests. Experts urge improved model reliability and up-to-date official resources, warning that overconfident or outdated AI outputs can erode voter trust and access.

Delaware begins 2026 primary early voting across sites

Voters in Delaware and North Carolina will kick off key voting phases for the 2026 elections, with Delaware opening primary early voting on September 2 and North Carolina beginning mail ballots as the first state to do so this cycle, ahead of Election Day on November 3. Across counties, early voting sites and extended hours are highlighted, including live accounts of voters casting ballots in Delaware and details on same-day registration opportunities during the early voting window.