09 November,2016 09:18 AM IST | | Agencies
A record 46.2 million voters have exercised their franchise this year before the official voting day, surpassing the 2012 record when 32.3 million had voted in advance
Washington: A record 46.2 million voters have exercised their franchise this year before the official voting day, surpassing the 2012 record when 32.3 million had voted in advance. Experts said the massive turnout in early voting reflects the change in the voting patterns of Americans.
"Some voters are changing as they opted to vote early," said Michael McDonald, an early-voting expert who runs the elections project. He, however, said that high level of early voting may also be a sign of increased overall turnout.
McDonald said that there are signs that Clinton would benefit from early voting.
"It is not a surge of older white men making up the unaffiliated," he added. "In comparison to 2012, there are more white women than white men among the unaffiliated, and African-Americans, and other persons of colour."
