10 Million: Early Voting Surge Outpaces 2022 by Wide Margin

President Donald Trump is changing his weekend itinerary to add two campaign stops in states with competitive Senate races as early voting numbers climb well above the 2022 midterm average. The president will hold back-to-back rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Sunday, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on condition of anonymity. Both events had previously been canceled. The scheduling change comes as the White House seeks to boost Republican turnout ahead of Election Day.

An Associated Press analysis of voting data released on Friday shows nearly 10 million more Americans had cast ballots five days before Election Day compared to the same point in 2022. The increase is particularly sharp in states hosting closely watched Senate contests. In Texas, where voters are deciding races for the Senate, the House, and the governor's office, more than 6.3 million people had voted early as of Wednesday. That figure is 50% higher than the 4.2 million who voted by that date four years ago.

Advance voting has also risen by more than 30% in Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, and Kansas. All four states are considered battlegrounds for the Senate. The data indicates that the current voting pace is outpacing the last midterm election across these critical districts.

The timeline of the schedule change began with the initial cancellation of the Iowa and Kansas rallies. Officials then reversed that decision in response to the voting trends. The rallies are now set for Sunday. This move places the president directly in front of voters in states where the outcome of the Senate race is uncertain.

Other developments in the election cycle include the confirmation that Pope Leo XIV has cast a mail-in ballot. The Vatican stated on Friday that the Chicago-born pontiff exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen. This marks the first time a pope has voted in a U.S. general election. The Holy See noted that Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, has voted whenever he has been eligible.

In the District of Columbia, federal courts heard arguments on two separate projects backed by the administration. One case involves the shutdown and reconfiguration of a historic public golf course. The other concerns the construction of a 250-foot arch, which would be 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. The two projects are located less than three miles apart. The hearings revealed the administration's claims of executive authority to reshape parts of the capital.

Internationally, final election results in Israel confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies lost their parliamentary majority. Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats in Tuesday's election, while the main opposition bloc won 48. Arab-led parties secured the remaining 19 seats. Parties must now negotiate to form a coalition with at least 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset. Netanyahu remains in charge until a new government is formed.

In Houston, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer was charged with aggravated assault. Prosecutors say Mario Alberto Morales struck Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, with an unmarked car on October 10. Parra Hernandez, a Mexican construction worker, was running away at the time and suffered a broken leg. He was later placed in custody. This is one of the few criminal charges brought against a federal officer during the current immigration crackdown.