Democrats Shift Toward In-Person Voting as Mail-In Preference Declines

According to a recent poll, Democratic support for mail-in voting in the 2026 midterm elections has slipped to 23%, a decline from 34% recorded in 2024. In contrast, 36% of Democrats now say they will vote early at designated sites, up six points, and another 36% intend to vote in person on Election Day, roughly matching previous levels. Among independents, mail-in intent fell to 25% while in-person voting rose to 28%, though Election Day voting among them dropped to 37%.

Republican respondents showed little change, with 16% favoring mail-in, 26% early in-person, and 53% voting on Election Day. The poll, fielded Sept. 11-15 by Hart Research Associates and Public Opinion Strategies, surveyed 1,000 registered voters and carries a ±3.1% margin of error. The findings come as the Supreme Court recently blocked a Trump executive order tightening mail-ballot rules.