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WASHINGTON (November 6, 2018) – On Tuesday, as the nation sets out to decide control over the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, along with countless local government seats across the country, early data showed Realtor® interest in the election, as measured by early voting, outpacing the national average. According to Real Strategies' data, nationwide absentee/early voting was up 46.1 percent from 2014, the last federal midterm election, compared to a 64.4 percent increase for Realtors®.
“An astounding 74 percent of Realtors® cast a vote in the 2016 national election. While our involvement continues to outpace the general population, the National Association of Realtors® is continually focused on ensuring the voice of every Realtor® is represented on Election Day. This focus, and our enduring work on behalf of candidates who have shown a commitment to home ownership, help guarantee the issues that matter most to the real estate industry remain a priority for America’s lawmakers through Election Day and heading into the 116th Congress,” said NAR President John Smaby, a second-generation Realtor® from Edina, Minnesota and broker at Edina Realty.
As of Monday, November 5, Real Strategies’ data showed that 326,545 Realtors® had already cast their vote in the 2018 General Election, marking a 64.4 percent increase over the number of absentee/early votes cast by Realtors® for the same period in 2014. The top five states for absentee/early Realtor® voting were Texas, where 52.7 percent of Realtors® have voted; Montana (47.1); Colorado (46.3); New Mexico (45.4); and Georgia (43.5).
In many instances, high early voting turnout for Realtors® coincided with NAR involvement in local political campaigns.
For example, NAR was active in Texas' 7th and 32nd Congressional Districts, where 56 and 61 percent of Realtors® voted early, respectively. In Colorado, where NAR was engaged in the 6th Congressional District contest, 52.3 percent of Realtors® in the district voted by absentee or early vote.
“This election cycle, NAR supported hundreds of candidates for federal office from both parties and in every corner of the country. These decisions are made on behalf of our members as we work to ensure the issues that matter most to the real estate industry remain a priority for America’s lawmakers. However, having the participation and enthusiasm of such a high percentage of Realtors® is a critical component of our advocacy efforts, and we're proud that our members continue to show a commitment to homeownership at the ballot box each November," said NAR Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Shannon McGahn.
The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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