21 Million Early Ballots Cast as U.S. Moves Third Carrier to Middle East

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated as the United States prepares for potential military action, coinciding with a sharp increase in early voting activity across the country. A person briefed on U.S. and Israeli war planning told NPR that both nations are preparing for an attack on Iran, a move likely to wait until after the November 3 midterms to avoid spiking oil prices before voters head to the polls.

The Department of Defense is sending a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East region. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently traveled to Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, signaling close coordination between the two allies. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that his country is ready for both diplomacy and war, though Tehran is demanding formal control of the Strait of Hormuz and the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Voting is already well underway ahead of Election Day. According to the University of Florida's Election Lab, nearly 21 million Americans have cast ballots by mail or in person. NPR's Saige Miller reported that this total rose by approximately 2 million in a single day, with early voting in key battleground states running higher than during the previous midterm cycle.

Miller cautioned that early figures do not necessarily forecast final results. The data show Democrats voting early at higher rates than Republicans, a trend that has held in recent cycles as Republicans tend to turn out on Election Day. Unaffiliated voters are also participating in the surge. Separately, a federal judge in California has restricted pre-election field operations by the Department of Homeland Security, which aims to identify noncitizens who allegedly voted illegally in nine states.

In a separate legal development, a federal magistrate judge ruled that President Trump must sit for a deposition in his $10 billion defamation case against the BBC. The judge ordered Trump to comply with court rules or face sanctions. The lawsuit centers on a Panorama broadcast from late October 2024 that allegedly edited his January 6, 2021 speech to make it appear he incited a violent siege of Congress.

Trump has called the broadcast false, misleading, and defamatory under Florida law. BBC attorneys argue that more than 200 January 6 defendants have said the speech motivated them, and the network seeks to understand Trump's state of mind during the address. The network is also requesting details on how Trump has profited since returning to the White House to gauge the extent of any economic damage.

Grocery costs remain a focal point for voters. While some items have become cheaper, overall prices have risen due to labor costs, tariffs, and energy prices tied to the conflict with Iran. Ground beef reached $6.79 per pound last month, an 85% increase over the past decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Eggs fell to $2.27 per dozen after a record high of $6.23 in March 2025, while butter averaged $3.96 in September, down 17.3% from a year earlier due to oversupply. Coffee remains 44% higher than two years ago despite the removal of tariffs on the commodity.