A Guide to Early Voting

In the 2026 midterm elections, 97 percent of eligible American voters will be able to cast their ballots before Election Day. Options to vote early — including in-person early voting and voting by mail — have been shown to increase turnout, shorten lines at polling places, strengthen voter confidence, and mitigate the potential impact of a major disruption on Election Day.

Americans have already shifted toward these voting options: In the last midterms, nearly half (47 percent) of all voters cast their ballots early — including two-thirds (67 percent) of Asian voters and a majority (58 percent) of Hispanic voters. Approximately one-third of all voters (32 percent) did so by mail. This reflects a broader increase in early voting, accelerated by Americans’ reliance on mail ballots during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the adoption of all-mail elections (through which all eligible voters automatically receive a mail ballot) by eight states and Washington, DC.

Early voting access continues to grow: In 2026, New Jersey and Virginia both expanded early voting periods and, along with Nebraska, made it easier to apply for and cure mail ballots. It’s part of a larger trend, as many states have offered more options for early voting in the last few years. These advancements are being made even amid the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on mail voting, including an executive order that directs the U.S. Postal Service to withhold eligible voters’ mail ballots; courts have blocked that provision from taking effect.

Despite these threats, early voting methods remain secure and convenient ways to participate in democracy. People planning to vote ahead of Election Day should explore the avenues available to do so in their state. These include:

• In-person early voting, in which a voter casts a ballot at a polling place ahead of Election Day
• In-person absentee voting, through which a voter completes an absentee ballot in a polling place or election office before Election Day
• Mail voting, through which a voter receives a ballot by mail and returns it by mail, ballot drop box, or at an election office.

As of July 2026, only three states — Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire — do not permit early in-person or in-person absentee voting. In the remaining 47 states, early voting periods range from 3 to 46 days and tend to end a few days before Election Day. Many states offer voting options on weekend days, either by law or at the discretion of local officials.

Every state allows for absentee voting for at least some voters, with 29 not requiring voters to cite a reason for doing so. The deadline by which mail ballots must be received varies depending on the state. Almost all states offer a resource to track a ballot once it enters the mail system.

In practice, states set the rules for early and mail voting. The National Conference of State Legislatures offers a reliable state-by-state analysis, and voters who want to know more can check with the best resource available: state and local election officials.