Record campaign spending, intensifying partisan competition and uncertain voter turnout are converging ahead of the 2026 US midterm elections, highlighting the growing political and social divisions confronting the United States under President Donald Trump.
Spending on the 2026 US midterm elections is projected to reach a record $11.93 billion, making this year’s contest the most expensive midterm election in US history, while historically low participation rates and uncertainty over voter turnout highlight the deep divisions surrounding the country’s political system.
According to political spending monitor OpenSecrets, Democrats are expected to spend $5.52 billion, Republicans $5.12 billion and independent groups $1.3 billion.
The projected total represents an increase of approximately one-third compared with the $8.94 billion spent during the 2022 midterm elections.
Only the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections, each costing approximately $15 billion, have seen higher campaign spending than the 2026 midterms.
Meanwhile, despite the enormous financial resources being poured into the electoral contest, voter participation remains a significant issue in the United States, where millions of registered voters traditionally stay away from the polls, particularly during midterm elections.
The country has approximately 210 million registered voters, but turnout in midterm elections has historically remained substantially below participation in presidential elections.
During presidential elections this century, turnout has generally hovered around 60 percent, reaching 66.6 percent in 2020, the highest level in more than a century.
By comparison, the highest midterm turnout in more than 100 years was recorded in 2018, when 50 percent of eligible voters participated.
The figure subsequently declined to just over 46 percent in the 2022 midterm elections.
However, early voting figures for this year’s election indicate a significant change in voting patterns.
More than 58 million early votes have already been recorded, compared with approximately 46 million during the 2022 midterms.
The number of early ballots cast this year already exceeds half of the 122 million total votes recorded in the previous midterm elections.
The increase points to a substantial rise in early voting, although it remains unclear whether this will translate into higher overall participation or simply reflect a shift in how Americans cast their ballots.
As the United States approaches another costly and politically divisive election, the contrast between record campaign spending and historically limited midterm participation remains a central feature of the 2026 electoral contest.
