Nearly 2 million people voted early in New York State this election season.
Unofficial results from the New York State Board of Elections show a 67% increase in early voting turnout compared to the 2022 midterm elections, when just under 1.2 million New Yorkers voted early and in person.
Voters outside of New York City and Long Island accounted for about 46% of the early turnout in this year's election.
Alison McLean Lane, the Democratic Commissioner for the Albany County Board of Elections, told WAMC the voters she's spoken to have been, in a word: motivated.
"Of course, I never inquire as to who somebody's voting for, etc.," McLean Lane said. "But there have just been a lot of people saying that they really wanted to vote this year, and tons of new voters, people that have come in that haven't voted in years, that said this is important. That's really been the common thread."
