By Shirleen Guerra | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – With less than two weeks until Virginia’s Nov. 4 election, early voting totals are trending higher than in previous nonpresidential years, according to new visual data from the Virginia Public Access Project.
VPAP charts show that as of Oct. 22, about 485,000 in-person ballots and 222,000 mail ballots have been cast statewide. Both totals are ahead of the pace seen at the same point in 2023 and 2022.
The data also show mail voting now makes up 31% of all early ballots, compared with 27% in 2024 and 43% in 2023.
According to VPAP’s estimations, more than 382,000 early ballots were cast by likely Democratic voters and about 305,000 by likely Republicans, with another 36,000 listed as unknown.
VPAP’s visuals indicate Republicans currently lead slightly in in-person ballots while Democrats lead in mail voting.
In-person ballots account for about 69% of early votes this year, compared with 73% in 2024, 57% in 2023 and 59% in 2022.
Total early votes this year, combining in-person and mail ballots, now exceed 700,000 across Virginia.
As early turnout continues to climb, new polling is beginning to show how voters are aligning ahead of Election Day.
A new State Navigate poll released Oct. 22 shows Democratic nominee Abigail Spanberger leading Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by 13 points in the governor’s race.
The survey of 694 likely voters, conducted Oct. 17–20, found Spanberger with 55% support to Sears’ 42%. Among those who said they have already voted, 64% said they voted for Spanberger and 35% for Sears. The poll’s margin of error is 4%.
The Lieutenant Governor race shows Senator Ghazala Hashmi leading Republican John Reid 53% to 42%.
Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones leads Republican incumbent Jason Miyares 50% to 45%.
With all three statewide debates now behind them, candidates are entering the final stretch before Election Day as early votes continue to pick up across Virginia.