NUECES COUNTY, Texas — More than 17,000 Nueces County voters have cast ballots for the Nov. 3 general election after two days of early voting, putting turnout ahead of the 2022 midterm, according to unofficial numbers from the Nueces County Clerk's Office.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 20, the county had received 17,473 ballots, or about 7.8% of its 223,047 registered voters. That includes 14,682 in-person votes and 2,791 mail-in ballots.
That's 1,232 more ballots than at the same point in 2022, when the county had received 16,241 ballots, or about 7.6% of registered voters. After the first day of early voting, this year's total trailed 2022 by 15 ballots.
In-person voting is driving the increase. The county has recorded 14,682 in-person voters through two days, 2,594 more than the 12,088 at the same point in 2022. That's an increase of about 21%.
Mail voting is down. The county has received 2,791 mail ballots so far, compared with 4,153 after two days in 2022. That's about 33% fewer.
In-person voting dropped on the second day, from 7,712 voters Monday to 6,970 Tuesday, a decline of about 10%. That's a smaller second-day drop than in 2022, when in-person voting fell about 13%, from 6,478 to 5,610.
Behind the presidential pace
This year's numbers trail the 2024 presidential election. After two days of early voting in 2024, the county had received 23,490 ballots, or about 10.7% of registered voters. That's 6,017 more than this year.
Early voting turnout reached about 43.9% of registered voters in 2024, compared with about 28.9% in the 2022 midterm, according to county reports.
Busiest locations
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center remains the busiest site, with 1,494 voters over two days, including 750 on Tuesday. The Nueces County Courthouse has had 1,234 voters, and Veterans Memorial High School has had 1,200.
Early voting runs through Friday, Oct. 30. Click here for a complete list of voting sites and hours.
Daily turnout numbers are posted on the Nueces County Elections Department website.
Ballots cast through two days of early voting
| Election | In person | Mail (total) | Total ballots | % of registered voters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 general (midterm) | 14,682 | 2,791 | 17,473 | 7.83% |
| 2024 general (presidential) | 19,787 | 3,703 | 23,490 | 10.73% |
| 2022 general (midterm) | 12,088 | 4,153 | 16,241 | 7.63% |
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
