Over 62 million Americans have already voted in the 2024 election, breaking records in some states and raising hopes on both sides that early turnout could benefit their campaigns, although experts caution that interpreting these numbers can be complex.
Opinion polls indicate a tight race between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, particularly in the seven key swing states expected to determine the outcome.
Harris's team has strongly promoted early voting, with figures like her running mate Tim Walz, outgoing President Joe Biden, and former President Barack Obama already casting their ballots. While Trump initially questioned the fairness of early voting, he has since endorsed it, urging his supporters to vote whenever convenient.
By Thursday, around 62.7 million early ballots had been cast—nearly 40% of the total 2020 vote count.
Georgia, for instance, saw over 3.5 million votes, representing 45% of registered voters—a record turnout, according to Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who predicted up to 70% of Georgians might vote early.
Other swing states are seeing similar trends.
In Wisconsin, 73-year-old police officer Brad Hines cast his ballot on the first day of early voting. He expressed his commitment to voting early, saying it was an “important election” for the future of “democracy” and hoped to encourage others to do the same.
