The majority of Americans plan to cast their ballots before Election Day, according to a poll Thursday that showed early voting is an increasingly popular option.

Gallup says 54% of registered voters planned to vote before Tuesday.

While that is down 10 percentage points from the last election, the 2020 contest was marked by the pandemic-related expansion of mail-in voting and other alternatives.

Pollsters said the rate of early voting exceeds pre-pandemic levels, when 40% voted early in 2016 and 35% in 2012.

“Millions of Americans have already performed their civic duty and voted in this year’s presidential election. Early voting opportunities have expanded in recent years, and the 2024 election could be the second in which more ballots are cast before Election Day than on it,” Gallup wrote in its analysis.

One-fifth of those polled Oct. 14-27 said they’d already cast a ballot and another 34% planned to cast their ballots before Election Day.

Political analysts are poring over early voting totals for signs about the potential outcome of the race. Republican voters are outpacing Democrats in Nevada compared to previous cycles, enthusing the GOP, though women are outpacing men among early Pennsylvania voters — a worrying sign for former President Donald Trump.

Mr. Trump and GOP allies cast doubts on early and mail-in voting in 2020, but they’ve reversed course this cycle. They’re encouraging supporters to cast their ballots in whatever fashion they please.

Democrats are still more likely than Republicans to vote before Election Day, at 63% to 47%, according to Gallup. Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters are also twice as likely as Republicans to vote by a mail-in or absentee ballot.

Gallup said 7 in 10 registered voters say they are more enthusiastic than usual to vote, up from 56% in March.

Pollsters attributed the surge to Democrats and independents showing greater interest in Vice President Kamala Harris atop the Democratic ticket instead of President Biden.

“Now, Democrats maintain elevated election enthusiasm, at 77%, compared with 67% among Republicans,” Gallup wrote.

More registered voters reported being contacted by the Harris campaign, at 42%, compared to the Trump campaign, at 35%.

Gallup said the outreach is keeping the Harris campaign competitive despite signs Mr. Trump has an edge in battlegrounds and that Republicans can take full control of Congress by focusing on issues like inflation and unchecked illegal immigration.

“In an election environment that generally favors the Republican Party, the Harris campaign’s efforts to engage voters — and Democrats’ greater enthusiasm about voting — have helped the Democrats make this a competitive election,” pollsters said.