Early voting is underway in a number of states, and the preliminary results could spell trouble for Vice President Kamala Harris amid an unexpected spike in Republicans choosing to bank their votes ahead of Election Day.
As of Tuesday morning, more than 15.2 million mail-in and in-person ballots have been cast nationwide, according to NBC News.
Of the early voters, Democrats account for 46 percent, while Republicans comprise 36 percent. Eighteen percent are not affiliated with either major party.
At this juncture, it’s not surprising that Democrats are ahead, since the party has aggressively pushed mail-in voting. Indeed, it was mass mail-in voting that pushed President Joe Biden over the finish line back in 2020.
Republicans have historically endorsed in-person voting on Election Day, citing voter-fraud concerns using the mail-in method.
While former President Donald Trump has been critical of early voting, his campaign has recently urged voters to cast early ballots.
And the preliminary results indicate Trump supporters are heeding this suggestion, since the Harris campaign holds just a 10-point advantage.
“At this point in 2020, Democrats led by over 15 points,” Eric Daugherty, the assistant news director of Florida’s Voice, wrote Monday evening on X.
BREAKING: Republicans are on the verge of leading the Nevada early and mail-in voting. At this point in 2020, Democrats led by over 15 points.
🔵 Democratic: 72,196
🔴 Republican: 69,377
🟡 Other: 46,427Data from Ralston and TargetEarly
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 21, 2024
Hours later, Victor Joecks of the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted that Republicans had overtaken Democrats in early voting.
“If this keeps up, Trump will win Nevada easily,” he wrote on X.
“After the third day of early voting and including mail, GOP is up almost 8K voters. In Clark, which is heavily Democrat, Ds have outvoted Rs by less than 5K votes,” Joecks noted.
“GOP is winning Washoe too.”
GOP is surging in Nevada.
After the third day of early voting and including mail, GOP is up almost 8K voters. In Clark, which is heavily Democrat, Ds have outvoted Rs by less than 5K votes.
GOP is winning Washoe too.
If this keeps up, Trump will win Nevada easily. pic.twitter.com/y5oCJHyN09
— Victor Joecks (@VictorJoecks) October 22, 2024
In Arizona, a disturbing trend for Harris has emerged, as early voting among Democrats tanked a whopping 46 percent from 2020.
This colossal plunge could signal a massive drop in enthusiasm among Harris voters just two weeks before the election.
