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Ballots are still being counted, but already voter turnout is projected to have reached the highest level since the presidential election of 1900. So far, 66.2% of the voting-eligible population has been logged as having voted — about six points higher than in 2016, when 60.1% voted. According to the Washington Post, states across the South and Midwest have seen voting turnout records shattered.
Already, Joe Biden has broken Barack Obama’s record high of winning 69,498,516 votes in 2008; Biden was leading the popular vote with 72,263,868 votes (50.4% of the total) as of Thursday morning.
Donald Trump has thus far received 68,508,167 votes (47.8% of the total), up from 62,979,879 votes in 2016. Which means that even if Biden wins the presidency—which he’s currently favored to do—Trump could still break Obama’s record too.
All of which is to say: Early voting was huge for turnout—and for Biden’s election hopes.