New National Poll Finds Majority of Voters Confident in Mail and Early Voting, But Fear Legal Fights Could Keep Ballots From Counting in November

PLEJ survey finds 56% of likely voters expect to cast their ballot before Election Day this November,
(1-in-3 plan to vote by mail, and 2-in-3 plan to return their mail ballot via U.S. Postal Service)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey commissioned by the Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions (PLEJ) finds that voting before Election Day will be central to the 2026 general election. Among likely voters surveyed, a majority (56%) expect to vote before Election Day, while 44% expect to vote at an Election Day voting location. Of those who plan to vote early, 34% plan to do so by mail, and another 21% through early in-person voting.

Confidence in the accuracy of the voting process is high among all voting methods. Among registered voters surveyed, 90% expressed confidence that Election Day votes will be counted accurately, compared with 87% for early in-person votes and 74% for mail ballots, reflecting continued trust in local election officials//continued trust in the local administration of elections.

At the same time, 62% said they are concerned that legal or political disputes over election rules could affect whether their own ballot is counted this year (including majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents). The question measured concern about respondents' ballots generally; it was not limited to mail ballots or ballot certification.

"Voters broadly trust the mechanics of voting, but many are worried that the rules surrounding their ballot may not remain settled," said Carolina Lopez, PLEJ Executive Director and a former local election administrator. "Local election officials do not write federal policy or decide court cases. They implement the law in effect—and they need enough clarity and lead time to tell voters exactly what that law requires. The operational clock is already running. Clarity has to come before the ink dries, not after ballots are in the mail."

While Election Day is 69 days away, election offices are just three weeks from the federal deadline to transmit requested ballots to military and overseas voters. Domestic mail-ballot distribution and early in-person voting begin soon afterward in many states. Ballot instructions, envelopes, voter notices and operational procedures must be finalized well before voters receive them.

Majorities Across Party Affiliations Support Pre-Election Day Ballot Preparation

Because mail-ballot processing timelines vary by state, the survey asked whether election officials should be permitted to review and prepare mail ballots before Election Day, provided no results are released early.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) supported that practice, including majorities across party affiliations: 77% of Democrats, 63% of independents, and 53% of Republicans. Although pre-processing is not currently permitted in every state, it can help election officials report unofficial results more efficiently after polls close. Pre-processing gives election officials a head start on the work—not on the results.

Additional findings

Among respondents that self-identified as likely voters:

• Mail voters expect to return their ballot early: Among respondents expecting to vote by mail, 67% plan to return their ballots at least one week before Election Day. Of these, 62% plan to use the U.S. mail, while 34% expect to use an official ballot drop box.
  
  
• The public expects results quickly, even for close elections: 53% expect the final result of a very close election to be known by the day after Election Day.
  
  
• Support for pre-Election Day ballot preparation crosses party lines: 65% support allowing officials to review and prepare mail ballots before Election Day, provided results are not released before permitted. This is currently not allowed in all jurisdictions.

"Voters are already deciding how they will exercise their right to vote, and election offices are only weeks away from sending the first ballots. Clear rules, clear voter instructions, and clear explanations of what early numbers do—and do not—mean is the work in front of us now," Lopez said.

Media Briefing: The First Votes

To give reporters direct access to the election officials managing that work, PLEJ will host an on-the-record virtual media briefing on Wednesday, August 26, at 12 p.m. ET to discuss the survey findings and the administration of the first 2026 general election ballots with a moderated reporter Q&A:

Wednesday, August 26, 2026 (12 p.m.- 1 p.m. ET)

Media RSVP: http://plej.info/2026MediaBriefings 

Speaker Lineup: https://plej.info/082626S 

Survey Methodology
PLEJ commissioned SurveyMonkey to survey 868 American adults August 18-20. The survey's likely-voter group included 812 respondents who identified a method they expect to use to vote in November. Party-affiliation cross-tabs include 365 Democrats, 224 Republicans, and 209 independents. Polling has a margin of error of +/- 3%. For survey data, please email [email protected].

About PLEJ

PLEJ is a national, nonpartisan organization that provides a community of support, best practices, and peer-to-peer engagement among large election jurisdictions. PLEJ members administer elections for 40% of the U.S. population.

Media Contact:

PLEJ Media Team

[email protected]

SOURCE Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions