By Stephanie Starks | Staff Writer
As of Monday, Texas has tallied over five million early votes in the 2026 midterm election. And with roughly 19 million registered voters in Texas, that means 21% of Texas voters have voted early.
Early voting runs until Friday, and McLennan County’s website lists early voting locations and times. Voters registered in Texas but not in McLennan County can vote on a limited ballot only during the early voting phase.
Prosper Junior Erica Smith participated in early voting. She said she was originally registered in Collin County but needed to vote in McLennan County due to the limited voting period.
“I could tell that the voting staff did not want any procedural mix-up that would stop people from voting,” Smith said. “I was there a total of 15 minutes, which included getting registered in this county and voting.”
Early voting helps voters with children, working jobs and full-time students exercise their right to vote over a two-week period, according to the U.S. Vote Foundation, with which Smith agreed.
“Voting early is helpful to get the maximum possible number of votes in,” she said. “I think it is very helpful to further democratic representation that people ought to have.”
Dr. David Bridge, an associate professor of political science, said many midterm races are close, and people think their vote will make a difference if they show up and vote.
“Voters are more incentivized to vote, even vote early because they care about who leads Texas,” Bridge said. “Votes count the same whether they are cast a week before or on Election Day. As Texans get closer to Election Day, the lines will get longer and longer.”
Early voting isn’t a new idea. In the eighteenth century, voting took place over several days to give rural voters living far from polls a chance to vote. In 1845, as transportation improved, the federal government set Election Day for the first Tuesday in November.
Early voting returned to America because military voters needed to vote while on duty. In the 1990s, states passed laws allowing everyday voters to vote for an extended period. In the 2022 election, Texas also extended early voting hours.
Bridge said the rise in early votes is logical, as more availability makes voting easier.
“Voting early has become more popular in recent decades,” Bridge said. “There are not a ton of comparisons to make, but it makes sense that early voting will only become exponentially popular. When you give people more time to do something, they are more likely to do it.”
He also said students should recognize that they are participating citizens in American democracy, and that early voting gives busy students a great opportunity to make their voices heard.
“Students do not need to wait until they have a job or until they have their degree,” Bridge said. “When students turn 18, they have just as much responsibility for the republic as any other citizen.”
Dr. Colby Humphrey, an adjunct professor of political science, said he believes voting is a civic duty.
“In terms of early voting, students have the right to vote from others who have fought to give them that right,” he said. “Students should want to know the specific rules and regulations for their state to make sure their voice is heard.”
Humphrey said early voting is more convenient and leads to shorter lines than on Nov. 3.
“If voters wait until Election Day, the lines are likely to be even higher than they are for early voting,” Humphrey said. “If voters already know the policies of the candidates running, they should vote early so that they can avoid longer Election Day lines.”
