Aiken County midterm turnout surges as early voting outpaces Election Day

AIKEN — More than 58% of Aiken County’s registered voters cast ballots in the Nov. 3 midterm statewide general election, an increase in turnout of more than 10 percentage points over the last comparable midterm election.

In this year’s election, 68,082 of the county’s 116,511 registered voters cast ballots.

In the Nov. 8, 2022 election, 55,366 of the county’s 116,055 registered voters cast ballots, a participation rate of 47.71%.

The 2022 midterm election was the first in which early voting was allowed. That year, 18,272 people voted early, compared to 35,408 who voted on election day.

This year, more people voted early than on election day.

During the early voting period from Oct. 19 to Oct. 31, 37,451 people voted at the six Aiken County early voting locations.

On election day, 29,512 people went to their polling locations to vote.

In 2022, 32,926 people voted for a straight party ticket. Nearly 70% of straight-party voters chose the Republican ticket. Just over 29% chose the Democratic ticket.

This year, 44,406 people voted for a straight party ticket. Just over 55% chose the Republican ticket. Nearly 44% chose the Democratic ticket.