Voters in the Peach State shattered early voting records last week as over 4 million ballots were cast ahead of tomorrow’s election, marking the highest turnout in state history. As of the close of Early Voting on Friday, 4,004,588 ballots had been submitted, with 3,761,968 cast in person and an additional 242,620 submitted by mail. This brings the state’s voter turnout to 55.3%, an achievement hailed as unprecedented by election officials.
Ninety-two counties exceeded a 50% voter turnout, a milestone underscoring the shift in voter participation since previous midterm cycles. In comparison, early voting numbers for 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections fell short of this year’s count, with the 2018 election seeing 1.89 million early ballots, 2020 with nearly 2.7 million, and 2022 with 2.29 million.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger attributed the record-breaking turnout to growing voter trust, supported by what he describes as four years of robust election system improvements. “This was the most successful Early Voting period in Georgia history because voters trust the process,” Raffensperger said, emphasizing the state’s preparedness and commitment to accountability. His office reported the identification of four individuals who may have attempted to cast multiple ballots, with potential cases to be reviewed by local District Attorneys upon investigation.
Election officials noted a smooth voting period with minimal reports of long lines. However, some metro areas experienced brief waits of over 30 minutes at popular polling locations. Early voting protections and monitoring practices by state and local officials have been instrumental in ensuring a secure voting environment, Raffensperger highlighted.
Voters who have yet to cast their ballot are encouraged to visit their designated polling stations on tomorrow, November 5th.
