BATON ROUGE — The secretary of state's office says more than 95,000 African Americans have cast ballots this week in Louisiana during the midterm early voting period.

During early voting for the 2022 midterm election, Black voters cast 98,008 ballots. Just a few days into early voting for this midterm election, Black voters account for 95,087.

"After four days of early voting, nearly 300,000 Louisianians have cast their ballot and every single day, the share of those ballots cast by black voters has gone up. On the first day, it was 31.7%. On Wednesday, black voters cast 32.6%. Yesterday they cast a whopping 33.2%. Across all four days combined, black voters are now 32.2% of everyone who has voted early here in Louisiana," said Dr. Sherice Nelson, statewide organizer and chief strategist for the Louisiana Democratic Party.

WBRZ political analyst James Hartman called the numbers an extraordinary surge among African American voters.

"For the last dozen years or so, black participation in elections has been exceedingly low," Hartman said. "This surge of black voters, if that continues through the end of early voting on Tuesday, could in fact make a real difference in the U.S. Senate race, less so in the two congressional races," he added.

Hartman credited redistricting and the Supreme Court's decision on the Voting Rights Act as two major drivers sending African Americans to the polls.

However, Hartman said the overall number of early voters is less surprising.

"The current total number is significantly lower than the last midterm elections, and it's not on track to shatter that overall record. That's consistent with what I've expected all along, that most voters are simply not excited about this election cycle," Hartman said.

Releasing early polling figures can also prove counterproductive, according to Hartman.

"I think it was a mistake for the Davis campaign to release the poll data that they did, showing that they are so close to prevailing against Congresswoman Letlow. I think that actually could have the effect of causing some of their voters to stay home."

Democratic Party officials said that while they are encouraged by the overall turnout, participation in East Baton Rouge Parish lags behind expectations.

"Not only in Baton Rouge, but there are other areas that we feel that the voting turnout wasn't optimal, but we're going to focus and put direct action into all those areas that we believe can increase the voter turnout," Louisiana Democratic Party Chairman Randal Gaines said.

WBRZ reached out to the Republican Party of Louisiana for comment but did not receive a response. Early voting resumes Monday, Oct. 26, and runs through Tuesday, Oct. 27. Polls are open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election Day is Nov. 3.