Record early voting as US midterms head to finish

· Politics · United States

More than 48.5 million voters had already cast ballots four days before Election Day, surpassing the 2022 record, with more than one in five registered voters taking part. Hispanic voters helped drive the surge, and turnout appeared to outpace previous elections in some battleground counties. More than 80% of early voters listed the economy as their biggest concern, alongside government corruption in polling. Control of Congress is at stake for the rest of President Donald Trump's term, and Wall Street is bracing for possible Democratic gains. Trump restored rallies in Iowa and Kansas after Republican officials had cancelled them. A federal judge ordered the administration to stop airing three taxpayer-funded partisan ads.

Why it matters：The result will shape US fiscal, trade and regulatory policy for the rest of Trump's term, with global consequences for markets and allies.

Key points

  • More than 48.5 million ballots cast, above the 2022 record
  • More than 80% of early voters named the economy their top concern
  • A judge blocked three taxpayer-funded partisan ads ahead of the vote

Sources (original reporting)

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