Over 72 million Americans vote for president in early voting

As the presidential election approaches, early voting in the United States has already surpassed the number of in-person votes cast at the same point in the 2020 election cycle, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

According to the latest data from the University of Florida's Election Lab, over 38 million Americans have voted in person thus far, compared to just over 35 million at this time in 2020.

While the uptick in in-person early votes is notable, the overall early voting count still lags behind the record 101 million early votes seen in 2020, which included mail-in ballots. As of November 2, a total of just over 72 million votes have been cast early this election season.

In 2020, two-thirds of voters opted for early voting, a trend largely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated minimizing large gatherings at polling places. This year, early voting data is being scrutinized for insights that could help predict whether former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris will come out on top on November 5.

One significant trend identified in the early voting figures is a noticeable gender gap: 54 per cent of early voters so far are women, as reported by the Election Lab, drawing from states that provide gender breakdowns. Additionally, early voting among Republicans has increased compared to the 2020 election. In 2020, 30 per cent of early voters identified as Republican and nearly 45 per cent as Democrats. This year, those figures have shifted to 36 per cent Republican and 38 per cent Democratic, indicating a narrowing gap between the two parties.

Another key difference from the last election cycle is the demographic of early voters. While young voters aged 18-25 made up a significant portion of early voters in 2020—70 per cent of whom participated—this year, only 8 per cent of early voters belong to that age group. In contrast, voters aged 41 to 60 now represent the largest share of early votes at 39 per cent, a shift attributed to changing voter engagement trends.

In terms of candidate support, early voting trends have shown fluctuations. Early in October, Trump held a slight edge over Harris among early voters, but by the end of the month, Harris had pulled ahead.

A recent USA Today and Suffolk University survey indicated that Harris led Trump 63 per cent to 34 per cent among those who voted early. However, Trump maintained a lead among those planning to vote on Election Day, with 52 per cent support compared to Harris’s 35 per cent.

By Khagan Isayev