Early voting turnout is set to rival the 2018 midterms, with more than 11 million ballots already cast in the upcoming midterm election, according to data from the United States Election Project, run by University of Florida political science professor Michael McDonald.
Thirteen days out from Election Day, voters in some states are coming out in numbers similar to 2018, when some of the highest turnout in U.S. history was recorded, ABC News reported.
“It does seem very robust, early voting,” McDonald told ABC News. “I think we’re looking at more like a 2018 election, definitely.”
Voters in 40 states are able to cast ballots either in-person or by mail as of today, according to the United States Elections Project.
McDonald told ABC he expects the pace of voting to accelerate this week as more states open voting opportunities.
Georgia in particular has been blowing past turnout records. More than 1 million ballots have been cast there, according to state data.
At the end of Monday, almost twice as many ballots had been cast compared to the same point in 2018, according to the Georgia Secretary of State. Turnout has been “within striking distance” of what was seen in the 2020 presidential election, the Secretary of State said.
That’s in spite of fears of voter suppression after incumbent Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a sweeping election law overhaul attacked by Democrats as too restrictive.
Highlighting the record turnout, Kemp’s press secretary hit at opponent Stacey Abrams’ “myth of voter suppression.” Abrams applauded the turnout and said “credit goes to those voters who found a way to navigate, overwhelm and overcome those barriers,” according to the Washington Post.
About 90 percent of early voting in that state has been done in person, while the rest have cast mail-in ballots.
