Believe it or not, voting for the 2026 midterm elections is already underway in the United States.
As it stands, four states have started in-person voting, and within a fortnight, at least 12 more will kick off early and mail-in voting.
‘The 2026 election begins now.’
On Friday, Virginia, Minnesota, and South Dakota opened up their ballot boxes for voters statewide. In Vermont, ballots must be mailed by October 1, starting the process by September 21. Additionally, Illinois will begin early voting on Thursday at select polling locations.
By October 7, more states will join in.
States like Maine, Nebraska, Indiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Wyoming, and Arizona will start their early voting periods between October 4 and 7.
There are two main categories for casting ballots before Election Day: true early voting and in-person absentee voting.
In true early voting states, voters can place an anonymous ballot directly into a tabulator or a secured box. This method aligns with how polling places will receive votes on Election Day. Their names are logged in poll books to prevent double voting.
On the other hand, in-person absentee voting involves voters filling out a mail ballot at their polling site, sealing it in a designated envelope, and delivering it to the clerk. That envelope will later be accepted, rejected, or may need to be cured.
The curing process allows voters to correct envelope issues like signature mismatches or missing ID numbers. If these discrepancies aren’t resolved by the deadline, the ballot will not be counted.
Despite some hesitations, conservative groups are using the early voting phase to rally their supporters and attract new voters.
“2024 taught us that we no longer have Election Day in America,” remarked Citizens Alliance CEO Cliff Maloney to Blaze News. “It’s not about election weekend, week, or month anymore. It’s all about ‘election season.’
“Vote-by-mail ballots are already in play in several key states,” Maloney added. “Citizens Alliance is working hard to ensure every Republican ballot gets submitted. The 2026 election starts now.”
Democratic state parties are viewing this early voting window as an opportunity to enhance their base’s turnout. They leverage initiatives like early-vote weekends and ballot-chasing to maximize votes ahead of Election Day.
“Vote early in person,” suggested DNC Vice Chair Jane Kleeb in an interview with NBC News.
This year, the Trump administration aimed to bolster mail-in and early voting systems nationally, as concerns about noncitizen voting grew among his supporters.
In March, President Donald Trump issued an executive order, directing the United States Postal Service to apply new restrictions on mail-in ballots and tasked the Department of Homeland Security with gathering state voter data, including confirming citizenship status.
“The issues with mail-in voting are notorious. It’s troubling what has happened. This will definitely improve future elections,” stated Trump during the signing of the order.
However, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, appointed by Obama, blocked significant elements of the order, leading to a prolonged legal struggle. The Supreme Court refused to lift her injunction on September 14, indicating concerns over timing.
Even with these challenges, Maloney feels it’s crucial for conservatives to actively engage in get-out-the-vote campaigns during this early voting phase.
“At Citizens Alliance, our mantra is ‘doors win wars,’ and we’re using that strategy right now to make a tangible difference,” he told Blaze News. “We must outmaneuver the Democrats and match their intensity to secure a victory.”
