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Early voting begins in Georgia with high stakes

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Published  October 15, 2024 6:48am EDT
2024 Election
FOX 5 Atlanta

Voters line up early for first day of early voting

FOX 5 Atlanta found several people who lined up early for early voting in DeKalb County, including a woman who came to her voting location at 3 a.m.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - As early voting kicks off in Georgia, both presidential campaigns are urging their supporters to head to the polls. With Georgia emerging as a battleground state, its 16 electoral votes could be the key to determining the next president.

"Georgia voters are more engaged than ever this year, more than other states," said an analyst, highlighting the heightened attention on the state.

This focus is reflected in a surge of political ads and visits from key candidates. Today, former President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Cobb County and participate in a FOX News town hall in Forsyth County. On Saturday, Vice President Kamala Harris will host a rally in Atlanta, aiming to boost turnout now that voting is underway.

"You’re going to see both parties working hard to energize their traditional base," a political expert noted, underscoring the intense effort to capture early votes.

One early voter, determined to avoid long lines, arrived at her polling place at 3 a.m.

"I just want to make sure I don't have to join the long line, you know? So I just want to get it out of the way. We definitely need to get out there and cast the vote," she said.

Election 2024: What you need to know for early voting

Having followed both candidates' campaigns, she feels confident in her choice and emphasized the importance of voting early.

High turnout is expected during the early voting period, which could result in longer wait times at polling locations. Both campaigns are closely monitoring early voting data to gauge how the race is shaping up.

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"They’ll be paying very close attention to trends, especially whether young voters will show up," said an election analyst.

Here are some key dates for Georgia voters:

  • October 25: Last day to request an absentee ballot
  • Mandatory Saturday voting: October 19 and October 26
  • Nov. 1: Final day of early voting
  • Nov. 5: Election Day

With early voting underway, both campaigns hope to lock in as many votes as possible before the official Election Day on Nov. 5.