VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Data from the Virginia Public Access Project shows more Republican voters could be taking advantage of the state’s early voting window compared to past elections.
The share of early in-person votes so far cast early between Democrats and Republicans is a narrower gap than years past. With 16 days until Election Day, VPAP data shows Democrats make up more than half of the early-in person voting pool at 55%, compared to 39% for Republicans.
While Democrats still hold the majority of in-person early votes cast, the percentage of Republican votes have increased by approximately 8% since 2021.
“It's contrary to what I like to do and enjoy doing, day of," Virginia Beach voter Dave Paddock said on Monday, as he cast his first early vote ever by dropping an absentee ballot into the drop box at the Voter Registration building.
"I’m feeling this could be the norm," he said.
Historically, VPAP tracking shows Democratic voters make up roughly two-thirds of the total pool of "repeat" early voters. Republican voters make up approximately 35% of the split with 5% counted as "unidentified."
So far, Republican voters make up about 39% of first time voters this election cycle, according to information as recent as October 24. First time voters are classified as those who have not cast an early ballot since 2016. That's compared to 27% of Democratic voters, with an "unknown" designation around 25%.
Early mail-in ballots have only seen a slight increase compared to previous elections, with Republican voters seeing a 3.4% increase since last year.
Statewide, Virginia passed the half-million early vote mark.