US Midterm Voting Trends Show Decline in Mail Ballots

Data from the 2026 midterm elections indicate a decline in mail ballot requests across several states, with a corresponding increase in early in-person voting. In Georgia, mail ballot requests have fallen by 40%, while North Carolina reported a 33% decrease in requests compared to 2022, with Democratic requests specifically dropping by 41%.

In Wisconsin, mail ballots sent out decreased by approximately 20%, even as in-person absentee voting on the first day of early voting rose by 65% compared to the previous midterm. Analysts suggest this shift toward in-person voting may be influenced by political rhetoric regarding mail-in procedures.

In Maui County, approximately 12,000 of the 117,689 registered voters have returned their ballots. Local officials have advised voters to mail ballots by October 27 to ensure timely delivery, with the final deadline for returning ballots being November 3.