--- title: "Over 34 Million Cast Early Ballots in Midterm Elections" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/over-34-million-cast-early-ballots-in-midterm-elections" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/over-34-million-cast-early-ballots-in-midterm-elections" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/over-34-million-cast-early-ballots-in-midterm-elections.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/over-34-million-cast-early-ballots-in-midterm-elections" category: "Politics" area: "United States" published: "2026-10-27T22:45:40.953Z" source_reported: "2026-10-27T21:42:01.219Z" updated: "2026-10-27T22:45:40.953Z" trust_score: 30 critic_score: 45 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-27T23:10:31.564Z" --- # Over 34 Million Cast Early Ballots in Midterm Elections *Early voting numbers are on track to exceed those from the 2022 midterms.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 30 of 100, higher is better. All six sources are digests, providing no original reporting or named sources. - Craft 45 of 100, higher is better. The digests are identical, offering no original reporting, quotes, or context. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. The headline is a direct copy across all sources, lacking specific details or urgency. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - More than 34 million people have cast early ballots as of Tuesday afternoon. - The current early voting total is projected to exceed the numbers from the 2022 midterm elections. - Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida, tracks early voting data through the UF Election Lab. As of Tuesday afternoon, over 34 million Americans had cast early ballots in the ongoing midterm elections. This figure includes both in-person voting and mail-in votes. The current pace of early voting suggests it will surpass the total early vote count from the 2022 midterm elections. Michael McDonald, a professor of political science at the University of Florida, manages the UF Election Lab, which monitors early voting statistics. His analysis indicates the current early voting tally is on track to exceed previous midterm election numbers. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated digests mentioned the potential for flipping control of the House and Senate from Republicans to Democrats. The context that the midterm election will determine control of the House and the Senate, possibly flipping one or both from Republicans to Democrats, was present in some left-rated digests but not all. ## Who covered it Shares of the 17 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 100% (17) - Centre: 0% (0) - Right: 0% (0) 0 of 17 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-27T23:10:31.564Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 8 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-28T00:45:25.047Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports focused on the high volume of early ballots cast, stating that more than 34 million people had already voted as of Tuesday afternoon. These reports also highlighted that the current early voting numbers are on track to surpass those of the 2022 midterm elections. The context provided noted that the midterm election will determine control of the House and the Senate, with the possibility of flipping one or both chambers from Republican to Democratic control. The source of this data, Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida who runs the UF Election Lab, was identified in some reports. ### Centre No separate framing summary. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 12 - veryHigh: 5 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Idaho Capital Sun](https://idahocapitalsun.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Time Magazine](https://time.com/article/2026/10/27/midterm-elections-early-voting-data-democrats-republicans-hispanic-voters) — What Early Voting Data Is Showing About the Midterm Elections - [Source New Mexico](https://sourcenm.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Utah News Dispatch](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [arkansasadvocate.com](https://arkansasadvocate.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Wisconsin Examiner](https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [washingtonstatestandard.com](https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots • Washington State Standard - [mainemorningstar.com](https://mainemorningstar.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots • Maine Morning Star - [South Dakota Searchlight](https://southdakotasearchlight.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Iowa Capital Dispatch](https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Daily Montanan](https://dailymontanan.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Louisiana Illuminator](https://lailluminator.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Kansas Reflector](https://kansasreflector.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots-nationwide) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots nationwide - [New Hampshire Bulletin](https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [Michigan Advance](https://michiganadvance.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots - [westvirginiawatch.com](https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/10/27/repub/early-voting-surges-in-midterm-elections-as-millions-cast-their-ballots) — Early voting surges in midterm elections as millions cast their ballots • West Virginia Watch - [Arizona Mirror](https://azmirror.com/2026/10/27/repub/voters-turn-out-early-in-force-ahead-of-a-pivotal-midterm) — Voters turn out early in force ahead of a pivotal midterm ## Questions **How many people have cast early ballots?** As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 34 million people have cast early ballots in the current midterm elections. This total includes both in-person and mail-in votes. **Is early voting higher than in previous elections?** Yes, the current early voting tally is on track to surpass the early voting numbers from the 2022 midterm elections. This trend suggests a significant level of voter engagement before election day. **Who is tracking the early voting numbers?** Early voting data is being tracked by Michael McDonald, a professor of political science at the University of Florida. He runs the UF Election Lab, which monitors these statistics. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/over-34-million-cast-early-ballots-in-midterm-elections. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Over 34 Million Cast Early Ballots in Midterm Elections", https://mediabias.news/politics/over-34-million-cast-early-ballots-in-midterm-elections