With two weeks remaining before the U.S. presidential election, around 21 million Americans have already cast their votes, signaling a strong turnout in the contentious race between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump. According to data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab, approximately 7.8 million voters have utilized early in-person voting methods, while over 13.3 million have submitted mail-in ballots.
The U.S. presidential election, scheduled for November 5, offers early voting as a means for Americans to cast their ballots weeks before the official Election Day. This system contrasts with many other democracies, including India, where election campaigning halts 36 hours before voting begins. In the U.S., voting and campaigning often run concurrently, giving voters the flexibility to vote while still absorbing late-campaign developments.
Key battleground states
Political analysts emphasize that the race will be determined by results from seven key battleground states: Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia. These swing states are crucial in deciding the outcome, as both Harris and Trump vie for their electoral votes. Early voting turnout in these states has been robust, and early trends may offer insight into the eventual victor.
Early voting in the U.S. allows voters to cast their ballots via mail or in person at designated polling stations, which open in many states weeks before Election Day. While similar to India’s postal voting system, early voting in the U.S. is far more extensive, giving citizens greater convenience and more time to participate in the democratic process.
Participation of Asian Americans and Indian Americans
Despite the high turnout overall, the early voting rate among Asian Americans stands at just 1.7%, according to the University of Florida’s Election Lab. However, Indian Americans, a growing political force in the U.S., have been actively participating in the process. In various states, Indian American voters have been seen lining up at polling stations to make their voices heard.
In Chicago, Illinois, 88-year-old Chanchal Jhingan and her daughter, Vandana Jhingan, cast their ballots on October 21. Despite living in a Democratic stronghold, Vandana said she voted for the candidate who she believes can “Make America Great Again,” aligning with Trump’s slogan from the 2016 election.
Similarly, in Texas, Jitendra R. Diganvkar encountered long lines when he went to vote early. “This is full parking. People are coming every minute. I recommend every U.S. citizen who is registered to vote,” Diganvkar said, reflecting the widespread interest in early voting.
Republicans surpassing expectations
Surprisingly, more Republicans are participating in early voting than anticipated, according to The New York Times. This marks a significant shift from the 2020 election, when Donald Trump discouraged early and mail-in voting, casting doubt on its reliability. Sam Almy, a Democratic political strategist who monitors early ballots in Arizona, noted, “They [Republicans] have done a better job of turning out their voters to vote early.”
Almy explained that Republicans seem to have realized the benefits of early voting, which allows campaigns to secure votes early and avoid last-minute efforts to get voters to the polls on Election Day. “It turns out your voters quickly, and they don’t have to gamble on turning out all their voters on Election Day,” Almy said.
This shift marks a notable reversal from Trump’s rhetoric in 2020 when he criticized voting methods other than in-person ballots cast on Election Day. Now, both Republicans and Democrats are pushing for early votes, though Republicans appear to be gaining ground.
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Mail-In ballots and in-person voting
The data from the University of Florida’s Election Lab reveals that 41.3% of in-person early voters have been Republicans, compared to 33.6% from the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, when it comes to mail-in ballots, both parties are nearly tied, with 21.2% of mail-in votes cast by Republicans and 20.4% by Democrats.
With record-breaking early voting in several key battleground states, some analysts predict that former President Trump could secure a victory if Republican turnout continues at this pace. Mark Halperin, a seasoned political journalist, reported in Newsweek that high Republican turnout in early voting could pave the way for a Trump comeback.
Georgia’s record turnout
In Georgia, a crucial swing state, one-fourth of eligible voters have already cast their ballots. The state’s Secretary of State’s office reported that over 1.84 million Georgians have voted, either in person or via absentee ballots.
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Secretary of State, told CBS News that Georgia is on track for record turnout. “We are almost pushing 1.4 million who’ve already voted early or who we’ve accepted their absentee ballots,” Raffensperger said. He estimated that up to 70% of Georgia’s voters could choose to vote early, a trend that is playing out across the U.S. as more Americans opt for early voting in this pivotal election.
As the election approaches, both parties are ramping up efforts to get their voters to the polls, but with millions of ballots already cast, early voting has become a critical battleground in its own right.
