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Democrats Return Requested Mail Ballots at 20% Rate

By Drooid · Oct 10, 2026, 1:14 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Democrats are requesting fewer mail ballots than in past elections, per NBC News Decision Desk.
Democrats are returning requested mail ballots at a 20% rate, up from 15% in 2022.
Early in-person voting rose 69% in Democratic precincts and fell 5% in Republican precincts.
Analysts warn that shifting Democratic voting habits could make early-vote data and election-night results harder to interpret.

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Story summary

Democrats are requesting fewer mail ballots than in past elections, per NBC News Decision Desk.
Democrats are returning requested mail ballots at a 20% rate, up from 15% in 2022.
Early in-person voting rose 69% in Democratic precincts and fell 5% in Republican precincts.
Analysts warn that shifting Democratic voting habits could make early-vote data and election-night results harder to interpret.