Early Voting Rises in Five Senate Battleground States

Early voting is running substantially ahead of the 2022 pace in five Senate battleground states, with the largest increases in Kansas and Texas, according to a comparison of ballots cast or returned two weeks before Election Day. The figures show higher participation, but do not establish which candidates those voters support. Kansas recorded 55,500 ballots by the comparable cutoff, up 103% from 27,300 in 2022. Texas had 956,400, a 74% increase from 549,600. Maine’s total rose 39% to 136,000, North Carolina’s increased 38% to 733,100, and Ohio’s climbed 30% to 676,800. Nationally, more than 13 million early in-person and mail ballots had been cast by Tuesday, compared with about 9 million at the same point in 2022. Some of the nationwide increase reflects expanded early-voting access and states making more election data available than in the previous midterm cycle. The five states are Republican-held Senate battlegrounds where Democrats are seeking to win seats. In Kansas, incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces Democrat Adam Hamilton. Texas has a Senate contest between Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Maine Republican Sen. Susan...