Maryland early voting turnout is 67% higher than four years ago

Maryland Early Voting Surges 67% Past 2022 Numbers

“On the Democrat side, they’re willing to run through a brick building to cast their vote,” said Jim Burton, founder of Burton Research and Strategies and former executive director of the Maryland GOP, describing an electorate he says is intensely motivated.

Voters across Maryland are heading to the polls in numbers for the midterm elections. According to data from the Maryland State Board of Elections, turnout through the first five days of in-person early voting is 67% higher than it was at the exact same point four years ago. Every single county in the state has recorded higher voting activity, reflecting a broad statewide push rather than an isolated urban or rural spike.

Through Monday, 309,190 voters had cast ballots in person, compared to 185,121 voters after the first five days of voting in 2022. That sharp increase mirrors a broader national trend. More than 34 million Americans have already cast ballots nationwide just one week before Election Day on Nov. 3.

'No surprise': Maryland early voting surpasses 2022 turnout

Party Breakdowns and Local Issues Driving the Turnout

An analysis of state data by Burton Research and Strategies shows that Democratic voters in Maryland are driving much of the early momentum. Democratic early voting numbers are up 81% over four years ago, while Republican early voting has risen by 33%. Monday brought the largest single-day increases, with Democratic voting up 84% and Republican voting climbing 49% compared to the fifth day of early voting in 2022. Frederick County saw the most dramatic one-day surge on Monday, with Democratic turnout jumping 146% and Republican turnout rising 67% over four years prior.

“We’re looking at a midterm that is hanging on so many critical issues that people have been focused on,” Tyree said. “Marylanders have really shown that they’re paying attention to what’s going on.” — Nikki Tyree, Executive Director of Maryland’s League of Women Voters

Burton suggests the elevated numbers could reflect voter displeasure with the administration of President Donald Trump, though he notes that local and regional factors are likely contributing since the surge is visible everywhere in the state. Nikki Tyree, executive director of Maryland’s League of Women Voters, points to specific policy debates as key motivators. She highlights data centers, cost-of-living pressures, and Question 3—the proposed constitutional amendment regarding congressional redistricting—as primary drivers pushing residents to the ballot box.

Maryland voters turn out on first day of early voting

In addition to the more than 300,000 in-person early voters, state election officials reported that voters had returned 305,690 mail-in ballots as of Sunday. That figure represents roughly half of the 645,962 mail-in ballots distributed across the state this year.

What Comes Next Before Nov. 3

Early voting runs through Thursday, and campaigns are bracing for a final rush. Burton noted that the opening days and the final day of early voting consistently draw the heaviest traffic.

Maryland early voting turnout is 67% higher than four years ago — Photo: yahoo.com

Despite the heavily skewed early party metrics, Burton cautions against reading too much into the current margins. Democrats traditionally lean heavily into mail-in voting and early polls, whereas Republicans have historically preferred voting on Election Day, remaining more set in their traditional habits.

“The candidates and campaigns are still trying to drive turnout,” Burton said. “I tell my clients … just because what the early-vote demographics are showing doesn’t mean we’re handing in the towel. We have to continue to do our job, and we still have seven days to do it.”

Maryland early voting is up 12% over the last midterm election

Tyree views the high engagement in Maryland as a bellwether for the rest of the nation as the final week of the campaign unfolds.

“I think Maryland is always sort of a microcosm of what’s happening across the country,” Tyree said. “Our little state has so much of what other states encompass…. If our voters are paying attention to the issues that are affecting their daily lives, I think that’s just a small example of what some of the voters who are facing widely publicized races are engaging in as well.”