A man in Fairfax, Virginia, casts an early vote on 31 October 2026. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA

Early voting has surged across the United States ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections, with millions more Americans casting ballots than during the previous midterms as closely contested races threaten to reshape control of Congress.

By Saturday morning, more than 50.5 million Americans had voted early, according to an analysis by the University of Florida. That figure already exceeds the total early vote recorded during the 2022 midterm elections by nearly 5 million ballots.

Democrats appear particularly energized ahead of the election. In states that report voters’ party registration, approximately 10.7 million registered Democrats have already cast ballots, compared with 7.8 million registered Republicans.

While party registration does not necessarily reflect how individuals voted, recent polling indicates widespread dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s administration, alongside unexpectedly competitive races in states traditionally dominated by Republicans.

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This election, Republican Texas attorney general Ken Paxton is competing against Democrat James Talarico in a closely followed Senate contest. Meanwhile, Republican governor Greg Abbott is seeking another term against Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa.

The Senate contest has attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign spending as Republicans attempt to maintain their grip on a state where Democrats have failed to win a statewide election for more than 30 years. Trump traveled to Texas earlier this week, marking his third visit to the state within a month.

Early-voting participation has also climbed sharply in several other competitive Senate states, according to the Associated Press.

In South Carolina, where Trump won the 2024 presidential election by nearly 18 percentage points, early voting has increased by 83% compared with the 2022 midterms.

Kansas, another traditionally Republican state experiencing an unusually competitive Senate race, has recorded a 34% rise in early voting. Maine has seen an increase of 44%, while Michigan, another critical Senate battleground, has reported a 32% jump.

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The outcome of the midterms will determine which party controls the House of Representatives and Senate during the final two years of Trump’s second presidential term.

Voters are heading to the polls amid mounting concerns about the cost of groceries, gasoline and other everyday necessities, alongside the war in Iran and questions surrounding government corruption.

Facing significant voter dissatisfaction, Trump has intensified his efforts to support vulnerable Republican candidates, holding campaign rallies in states previously considered reliably conservative.

During those appearances, the president has repeatedly made remarks about candidates’ physical appearances while downplaying concerns about higher gasoline prices, suggesting that the financial gains enjoyed by fossil fuel companies deserve greater attention.

At a Friday evening rally in Florida, Trump acknowledged the exhausting pace of his campaign schedule.

“I thought this was it,” he told supporters. “I thought I could relax. Twenty-eight days of this crap in a row is a lot. It’s a lot.”

More than 50m Americans cast ballots in early…