Voters Showed Up in Strong Numbers for the 2026 Midterms

Voters showed up early, waited in line, and made their voices heard in the 2026 midterms. Preliminary estimates suggest the 2026 midterms brought one of the strongest turnouts in more than a century.

An estimated 124.3 million Americans voted.That is about 49.4 percent of eligible voters. If the estimate holds, it would be the second-highest midterm turnout rate since 1914, just behind 2018.

The momentum was building well before Election Day. An analysis published October 30 found that more than 43 million people had already voted early or returned a mail ballot. That was nearly 10 million more than at the comparable point in the last midterm.

Texas saw a particularly large jump. By October 28, more than 6.3 million Texans had voted early, compared with 4.2 million at the same point in 2022. That is a 50 percent increase. In Maine, Michigan, North Carolina and Kansas, early voting was also up more than 30 percent. Each state had a competitive Senate race on the ballot.

Behind those numbers are people making time to participate. Parents fitting voting around school pickup. Workers finding a window before or after a shift. Neighbors deciding they want a say in the decisions that affect their families and communities.

The counting is still underway. The University of Florida Election Lab cautions that the estimates will change as officials finish processing ballots, including eligible mail ballots arriving after Election Day in states such as California and Washington. These are preliminary figures, not final certified totals.

Voters, election workers, and volunteers all played a part in this year’s midterms. Their participation helped communities across the country make their voices heard.