The Last Hours Before Tuesday: Early Voting Tops Fifty-Four Million Ballots as Both Sides Close Out the Race
With Election Day just ahead, early voting has passed roughly fifty-four million ballots nationwide, according to the University of Florida Election Lab tally. Al Jazeera and RTE called it a record midterm pace. Sunday was the final day for early in-person voting in states including New York, New Jersey, Michigan and Connecticut, while California and Illinois keep options open through Monday, NPR and USA Today reported.
President Trump held his final rally of a twenty-eight-stop campaign swing in Salina, Kansas, on Sunday after a stop in Dubuque, Iowa, and returns to Washington on Monday, NBC News, the Associated Press and Euronews reported.
In Alaska, a federal judge on Sunday dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to block certification of the Senate results if Senator Dan Sullivan loses. The department is appealing, and the FBI’s criminal investigation into the Dan J. Sullivan spoiler episode continues, per NPR and Alaska Public Media.
Michigan’s Senate race has also seen a late break with party lines. Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers, her former Democratic primary rival’s opponent; Trump publicly urged her to switch parties while Democrats rallied around nominee Abdul El-Sayed. New York Times polling reported by NPR showed Democrats ahead in seven competitive Senate races, several within the margin of error — a snapshot, not a result.
For voters heading out Tuesday: check your assigned precinct and its hours, bring any identification your state requires, and remember that if you are in line when polls close, you have the right to vote. If you plan to return a mail ballot, confirm the deadline and accepted return options with your local election office.
The final hours can be busy and details vary by location. Check official local election information before you leave, and consider whether a neighbor could use a ride or a reminder — a little help can make the day easier for everyone.
