Early voting begins in Georgia

ATLANTA - Early voting has started for the March 24 presidential primary. 

For many people, Monday will be the first encounter with Georgia's new voting machines. The $104 million system combines electronic voting with a printed out paper ballot. It's the first time in 18 years, votes will be recorded on new machines in the state.

Under the system, voters will use a touch screen to mark their selections. The machine will record your vote on a card, but will also print them out on a piece of paper so voters can review their ballot for accuracy before placing it in a ballot scanner box.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said his staff has traveled around the state to familiarize voters with the new system.

Some critics say they would prefer the state to get rid of electronic voting altogether and move to hand-marked paper ballots, but Raffensperger said paper ballots proved more problematic when tested against the machines in a pilot in recent months.

​Over the next five days there will be a lot of hustle and bustle at the Statehouse. Candidates will be filling out paperwork and paying fees to qualify for Georgia's races. 

One of the headline contests is former U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson's seat. Governor Brian Kemp appointed U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler to fill the position and four candidates, including Congressman Doug Collins, have vowed to run against Loeffler.

Collins is expected to qualify Monday morning.

U.S. Senator David Perdue is also facing at least three challengers for his seat.

To confirm you are registered to vote, visit the Georgia Secretary of State's website.

Qualifying closes at noon on Friday. To find you polling location, click here.

To learn more about Secure The Vote, click here.