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Election 2024: Nearly 50% of Georgia voters have cast ballots

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  October 31, 2024 10:09pm EDT
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta

Nearly 3.5M early votes cast in Georgia

There are two days left in the record-breaking early voting period, and election officials say the massive turnout could make things go a little smoother on Election Day.

The Brief

    • Nearly half of Georgia's registered voters have already voted two days before the end of the early voting period, with over 50% of the active voters statewide participating.
    • Officials are optimistic about the high early voter turnout leading to less pressure on polling stations on Election Day, November 5.
    • The current turnout represents unprecedented voter engagement in Georgia, far surpassing the numbers from the previous election years.
    • Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger emphasized the state's preparations for the election with infrastructure improvements and more early voting days.
    • Election security is a priority, with the Secretary of State’s Office working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and federal agencies to combat threats, including a resolved cyberthreat.

ATLANTA - With two days left in Georgia’s early voting period, nearly half of the state's registered voters have already cast their ballots in a record-breaking turnout. As of Thursday, approximately 3.65 million Georgians have voted, marking over 50% statewide turnout among active voters, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's Office. This includes 3.4 million early in-person votes and over 226,000 absentee ballots.

State officials are optimistic the high turnout will ease some of the strain on polling stations for Election Day, November 5. "We are extremely grateful for the hard work of county election officials in all 159 of our counties," said Blake Evans, Elections Director, at the Capitol on Wednesday. "They are doing just a tremendous job of processing voters and very high turnout that we're seeing in this election."

The numbers represent unprecedented engagement compared to previous years. On the seventeenth day of early voting in 2018, 1.5 million voters had cast ballots, followed by 2.3 million in 2020 and 1.9 million in 2022. Some counties saw particularly high turnouts, with Towns County leading at 68.9%, followed closely by Oconee (65.29%), Rabun (63.97%), and others.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger noted the state’s significant preparations leading up to this election, highlighting infrastructure investments and expanded early voting days. "Georgia voters know we’ve made it easy to cast a ballot. It’s really that simple," he said. "Over the past four years, we’ve worked tirelessly to prepare for this election… We’re battle-tested and ready, despite the critics."

MORE: Georgians urged to drop off mail-in ballots as early voting continues breaking records

Though reports of long wait times were minimal statewide, some popular metro locations reported waits exceeding 30 minutes. Officials anticipate higher numbers on Friday, the final day for early voting. Voters can find early voting locations and hours on the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.

Gabriel Sterling, the chief operating officer for the Secretary of State’s Office, confirmed the state’s vigilance in maintaining election security, with continued collaboration with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and federal law enforcement. "The threat environment is different now, but I think our counties are more prepared, and our local law enforcement is more prepared," Sterling said, adding that their office successfully thwarted a cyberthreat weeks earlier.

Election lawsuits already flooding courts

Voting related lawsuits are already piling up even before the polls open on Election Day. From North Carolina to Nevada, Virginia to Pennsylvania, the legal knives are out as both parties aim to ensure a fair election. The U.S. Supreme Court has already weighed in on one dispute and might get dragged into more

Both political campaigns are analyzing the turnout data. Republicans cite high voter engagement in rural areas, particularly in northern Georgia, as a positive indicator for former President Donald Trump. Democrats are encouraged by the fact that women, who polls suggest favor Vice President Kamala Harris, make up 56% of early voters.

Anticipating potential legal disputes post-election, Sterling said, "We don’t know who’s going to win, and who wins will decide who sues us… If Vice President Harris wins, we expect Trump officials to sue us. If President Trump wins, we expect Harris officials to sue us."

As the period to request absentee ballots has closed, those who have yet to vote must do so in person before the end of early voting or on Election Day.

Voters cast their ballots early for the US presidential election at a polling station in Gwinnett County. (Photo by Luzia Geier/picture alliance via Getty Images)

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Republican and Democratic leaders heading to Georgia

In the final days of early voting, a few political heavy hitters are heading to the Peach State for one last pitch to voters.

On Thursday, Minnesota's first lady Gwen Walz will visit the Atlanta area, Macon, Albany, and Valdosta to encourage people to vote.

On Friday, Donald Trump's son Eric will deliver remarks at a rally at Douglasville's Foxhall Resort.

MORE: Team Trump, Kamala Harris expected in Georgia this weekend

Harris herself will be back in Georgia over the weekend for a rally in Atlanta. Details about the rally have not been released.

Where do I vote?

You can find your polling location through the My Voter Page. 

What do I need to bring?

  • A valid state or federal government-issued photo ID (including free IDs from county registrars or the Georgia Department of Driver Services)
  • A Georgia driver’s license (even if expired)
  • A student ID from a Georgia public college or university
  • A valid employee photo ID from any federal, state, or local government agency
  • A valid U.S. passport or U.S. military photo ID
  • A valid tribal photo ID with a photograph of the voter

The Source

  • FOX 5's Marc Teicher reported this story from Fulton County. Additional reporting came from previous FOX 5 stories.