Democrats request fewer mail ballots

Democrats are requesting fewer mail ballots than in the 2022 midterm elections but returning the ones they do request more quickly, according to NBC News Decision Desk analysis.

Postal Service concerns drive the shift

The shift reflects concerns about mail-in voting and doubts about the reliability of the U.S. Postal Service as Election Day approaches less than four weeks away.

Democrats may abandon mail ballots

The change suggests Democrats may be abandoning mail ballots in favor of in-person voting, or taking precautions to ensure their ballot arrives on time.

Election night patterns could shift

Since 2020, Democrats have been far more likely than Republicans to vote by mail. If those habits are changing, it will be harder to gauge which party has more enthusiasm from early voting figures.

North Carolina shows steeper decline

In North Carolina, where a Senate race could help decide control of the chamber, Democrats are 40 percent less likely to request mail ballots compared with 2022.

Republicans and independents also declining

Republican registered voters in North Carolina requested 18 percent fewer mail ballots, while independent or third-party registrants requested 23 percent fewer than in 2022.

Democratic mail ballot returns accelerate

Democratic registrants in North Carolina who requested mail ballots are more likely to have already returned them in 2026 at 22 percent than in 2022 at 17 percent.

Postal Service confidence plummets

Confidence that the Postal Service would deliver mail ballots on time plummeted among Democrats from 86 percent before the 2024 election to 60 percent last month.

Supreme Court blocks Trump postal rules

The polling was conducted by Marist just after the Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump's new Postal Service rules from going into effect.

Republican confidence unchanged

Confidence among Republicans in the Postal Service remains unchanged, according to the same polling data.

More Democrats plan in-person voting

More Democrats said they planned to vote in person this year than said the same at this time in 2024, according to NBC News polling.

Senate debates reveal campaign dynamics

Three major Senate debates on Thursday in Michigan, Maine and Georgia laid bare the dynamics and disagreements that will decide the fight for the majority.

Democrats unified on economic message

Democratic candidates across all three debates are laying voters' dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump at the feet of Republicans on the economy.

Republicans attack opponents personally

Republicans believe their best chance comes by making the campaign a referendum on the Democrat standing across from them, rather than Trump.

Michigan debate features name-calling

In Michigan's Senate debate between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, Rogers called El-Sayed a con man while El-Sayed called Rogers weak and cowardly.

“con man”