Editor’s note: This story was originally published on Oct. 28, 2025, and has been updated to include early voting totals through Oct. 31.

What to watch: Early voting in Midland County continues at a modest pace ahead of the November election, with 9,297 total ballots cast through the end of early voting, Oct. 31. That includes 9,189 in-person votes and 108 mail-in ballots, according to data from the Midland County Elections Office. With 95,660 registered voters, that turnout represents just 9.7% of the county’s electorate so far.

The big picture: At this stage, early voting is tracking ahead of the May 2025 bond election turnout, but it remains likely to fall short of the turnout seen in November 2023’s bond election.

  • November 2022: A gubernatorial election that included major statewide offices and a congressional seat brought out 41.6% of voters (40,223 ballots out of 96,603 registered).

  • November 2023: Ballots featured state constitutional propositions, a Midland ISD trustee race, and the $1.4 billion MISD bond, drawing 25.6% turnout (24,181 ballots out of 94,385 registered).

  • November 2024: The presidential election, along with several state, county, city council, and MISD races, drove record local turnout of 59.8% (59,193 ballots out of 99,004 registered).

  • May 2025: The Midland College and Midland County Utility District (MCUD) bond elections drew just 12.5% turnout (11,844 ballots out of 95,113 registered).

Go deeper: Early voting began Oct. 20 and has gradually increased each day. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Election Day voting locations can be found here.

  • Oct. 20: 433

  • Oct. 21: 618

  • Oct. 22: 645

  • Oct. 23: 679

  • Oct. 24: 786

  • Oct. 27: 774

  • Oct. 28: 903

  • Oct. 29: 972

  • Oct. 30: 1,245

  • Oct. 31: 2,134

What they’re saying: In recent opinion columns for The Permian Press, both former Mayor Patrick Payton and former Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr. urged residents to get more involved in local elections.

Payton wrote that “silence at the ballot box lets others decide,” while Angelo reminded readers that in 2023’s $1.4 billion school bond election, only 13% of registered voters approved the measure. Both echoed that the direction of Midland is determined by those who show up.