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Democrats request fewer mail ballots but return them faster, analysis finds

Democrats are adjusting their voting habits amid falling Postal Service confidence, according to NBC News reporting.

Updated Oct 9, 2026 · 20:09 UTC1 reports

The short version

An analysis shows Democrats are requesting fewer mail ballots than in previous cycles but are returning requested ballots faster.[NBC News]
September Marist polling found Democratic confidence in timely mail delivery dropped to 60%, down from 86% before the 2024 election.[NBC News]
In North Carolina and Georgia, mail ballot request declines were steeper among registered Democrats and heavily Democratic areas than among Republicans.[NBC News]

Democrats are requesting fewer mail-in ballots compared to past elections but returning them at a faster pace, according to an analysis by the NBC News Decision Desk and the University of Pennsylvania.[NBC News]
Marist polling from September revealed Democratic confidence that the Postal Service would deliver mail ballots on time fell from 86% before the 2024 election to 60%.[NBC News]
Mail ballot requests dropped 40% among registered Democrats in North Carolina, compared to declines of 18% for Republicans and 23% for independents or third-party registrants.[NBC News]
In North Carolina, 22% of Democratic registrants who requested ballots have returned them, up from 17% at this point in 2022.[NBC News]
In Georgia, mail ballot requests fell by 52% in precincts that strongly backed Kamala Harris, compared to a 39% drop in precincts that strongly backed Donald Trump.[NBC News]
Virginia recorded no decline in mail ballot requests relative to its last general election, and returns in its most Democratic precincts rose 69% compared to 2025.[NBC News]
Pennsylvania saw its reduction in mail ballot requests concentrated after May, aligning with rising concerns over Postal Service reliability.[NBC News]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.