Early Voting in Ohio Shows Democratic Enthusiasm, Even in Trump Country
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Early voting in Ohio's 2026 midterm elections is showing clear signs of Democratic enthusiasm, with affiliated Democrats making up larger shares of pre-election voters than two years ago — even in the state's most Republican counties, according to Reuters and CNN.
Voters started lining up while it was still dark on the first day of early voting at the Medina County Board of Elections, Reuters reported Oct. 6. Third in line was 83-year-old Eddie St. John of Wadsworth, who said the economy was his top concern: "You can't afford nothing anymore. Everything's so high. Gas is getting worse all the time." Registered Republicans, Democrats and independents interviewed all voiced exhaustion with political ads they see as deceptive and mean, hatred of the U.S. war with Iran and chronic inflation.
CNN's analysis of Ohio Secretary of State data found that in counties that voted for Trump by 20 points or more, Republicans' lead among early voters has shrunk from 30 percentage points at this point in 2024 to just five points. The overall early electorate is about 27 points more Democratic than at the same point in 2024.
Analysts cautioned that party registration data doesn't reveal who voters marked their ballots for, and Republicans in recent years have been more likely to vote early in person or on Election Day — meaning the Democratic edge in early returns could narrow. Still, strategists in both parties said the numbers suggest an enthusiasm gap favoring Democrats.
Ohio's U.S. Senate race — former Sen. Sherrod Brown against Sen. Jon Husted — and the governor's race between Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy could help determine control of the Senate and the direction of the battleground state. Early voting continues through the weekend before Election Day on Nov. 3.
Related: America's Electoral System (4): The Midterms: What Is on the Ballot on November 3, 2026
Related: Minnesota Early Voting Tops 127,000 Ballots, Ahead of 2022 Pace
Related: Early Voting Begins in Arizona for 2026 Midterms
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：俄亥俄州议会大厦（哥伦布）。摄影：Honavery，来源：Wikimedia Commons
