Nearly 16,000 Republicans and more than 5,500 Democrats cast ballots during the 10-day early voting period, which ran from June 29-July 2 and July 5-10. More than half of all votes in both party primaries were recorded over the first four days of early voting leading into the Independence Day holiday weekend, bolstered by the majority of absentee ballots that were counted June 29. By the halfway point of early voting, just over 54% of total votes had been cast.
Republicans and Democrats appeared to utilize absentee ballots at differing rates in this year's runoff. While the majority of voters in both party primaries turned out in person during early voting, just over 28% of Republicans submitted absentee ballots compared with nearly 44% of Democrats. Just under three-quarters of all absentee ballots from both parties were recorded on the first day of early voting, while in-person votes remained relatively steady over the 10-day period before peaking July 10.
Overall early voting totals for both parties in this summer's runoff election also surpassed the figures recorded in the 2018 and 2016 spring runoffs—although this year's voting period is not directly comparable to past elections. In addition to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, other changes affecting the 2020 runoff include an extended voting period, differing contested races, and an increased county population and registered voter pool.
A total of 15,934 Republican votes were cast during early voting for this year's runoff, while 13,689 were counted in the party's May 2018 runoff, and 13,272 were counted in the May 2016 runoff. On the Democratic side, the 5,518 early votes counted this year are nearly double the 2,941 counted in the party's May 2018 runoff and more than seven times the 656 counted in the runoff of May 2016.
According to previous election canvass reports from Harvey's office, the county had 298,116 total voters as of the May 2016 runoff, 323,215 total voters as of the May 2018 runoff, and 347,289 total voters as of this year's March primary.
Election day voting for the July 14 runoffs will be open to Montgomery County residents from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at dozens of precincts throughout the county. Voters must appear at the precinct where they are registered and bring a valid form of photo identification to cast a ballot.
