Staff Reports
Donald Trump has decided to mix things up for the 2024 election cycle by announcing that he plans to vote early this time around. Previously a staunch supporter of the “get to the polls on Election Day” strategy, it seems even Trump is ready to embrace some changes. With just under two weeks before the big day on November 5, Americans have already seen about 15 million ballots cast across the nation—a far cry from the old-fashioned way of doing things.
In a recent discussion, Trump admitted to having a few mixed feelings about the early voting concept. Although he previously scorned anything besides in-person voting on Election Day, he now appears to be okay with voters getting a head start—perhaps realizing that times change and so must strategies, especially when it comes to maximizing turnout. He acknowledged that more voters might prefer early voting to gauge where things stand—a significant shift for someone who has been a hardcore defender of Election Day traditions.
Trump changes tune on early voting, commits to vote ahead of Election Day https://t.co/fMMgulwpm7
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) October 24, 2024
It’s worth noting that out of the early ballots, Republicans account for about 32.5%, while those who are either unaffiliated or tied to minor parties represent 21.2%. Interestingly, North Carolina—a key swing state where every vote can feel like a do-or-die situation—shows an almost even split between Democrats and Republicans among early voters. This smacks of an uphill battle, considering that previous statistics suggested Democrats often have the edge in early voting, a staggering 80 to 20.
However, the early voting landscape shows some intriguing shifts in states like Arizona, which turned blue in the 2020 election. This time around, there are more early Republican voters than Democrats, with the gap widening by nearly 8%. For the politically savvy, it might signal a resurgence of Republican enthusiasm in a state that once seemed lost.
In Trump’s home turf of Florida, the excitement was palpable as Republican voters shattered records for in-person voting on the first day, nearly doubling the Democratic turnout. However, Democrats haven’t rolled over entirely; they managed to send their mail-in ballots flying, outpacing Republicans by about 120,000. Still, by the second day of early voting, Republicans continued to show their strength in numbers, leading by approximately 100,000 when combining in-person and mail-in votes. It appears that while Trump may be voting early, the Republican base is far from being asleep at the wheel. The potential implications for the upcoming election are monumental, leaving conservatives hopeful for a strong showing as they gear up for the polls.
