NBC News’ early-vote tracker reported 57,243,189 mail-in and early in-person votes nationwide as of 7:00 p.m. Eastern on November 2. The total combines ballots returned by mail with votes cast in person before Election Day. With the general election scheduled for November 3, the figure shows that a large number of voters had already participated. It does not show which party or candidate is ahead, because early ballots are not candidate vote totals.
The total combines early in-person votes and returned mail ballots; the mix varies by state reporting. The Election Lab at the University of Florida, which tracks early voting separately, also reported totals rising through the evening as more counties reported and more mail ballots arrived. Some states automatically send ballots to registered voters under universal vote-by-mail systems, so the total includes ballots that may not have been returned. The distinction matters when comparing participation with the number of ballots distributed.
The University of Florida Election Lab recorded 45,920,446 early votes in the 2022 midterm elections. NBC News’ November 2, 2026, tally was already above that figure. However, national trackers do not always report identical totals. They receive state data on different schedules and may handle state reporting differences in different ways. Early-vote totals also should not be treated as a final turnout rate or as a prediction of the election outcome.
Early-vote trackers count the number of people or ballots that have participated before Election Day. They do not report how those voters marked their ballots. Ballots must be processed and counted under state law and official procedures. Even a large increase in early voting in a particular state cannot by itself show which party benefits, because supporters of different candidates may have different voting schedules, mail-ballot habits and Election Day turnout.
Early-vote data are useful for understanding participation and voting methods, but some states continue to receive eligible mail ballots after Election Day. Counting and certification can therefore take time. The central distinction is that early-vote trackers measure how many ballots have been cast, not who won. The final result must come from official counts released by state and local election officials.