In the first five days of early voting in Monroe County, residents cast 2,686 ballots – slightly more than two percent of registered voters. That’s according to the county’s live early voting dashboard, which launched last Wednesday.

The total still lags 2018’s record-breaking midterm turnout, which saw 3,933 voters participate in the same amount of time, but it’s higher than any other midterm election since 2006.

Usually, midterms see low participation, particularly in Indiana where only 40 percent of registered voters cast a ballot in 2022. Experts think this year may be different due to the ongoing war in Iran, rising oil prices and President Trump’s ambitious domestic agenda.

While Indiana’s restrictive voting hours and limits on mail-in voting may depress turnout, the state opens polling places earlier than most other states, 28 days before election day.

On Nov. 3 voters will cast ballots at local voting precincts, but all early voting takes place at Election Central, 501 N. Morton Street in Bloomington.