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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.
ATLANTA - With two days left in the record-breaking early voting period, nearly half of all active voters have already gone to the polls.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State, nearly 3.5 million Georgians have cast their votes - 48.1% of the state's registered voters.
Election officials hope these massive numbers will make things run a little smoother on Election Day.
"We are extremely grateful for the hard work of county election officials in all 159 of our counties," Secretary of State Elections Director Blake Evans said 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."
MORE: Georgians urged to drop off mail-in ballots as early voting continues breaking records
Gabriel Sterling, the chief operating officer for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, said their office remains vigilant after successfully warding off a cyberthreat a few weeks ago. The agency is also collaborating with the GBI and federal law enforcement to investigate reports of people possibly trying to meddle with voting machines.
"The threat environment is different now, but I think our counties are more prepared and our local law enforcement is more prepared," Sterling said.
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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 campaigns have seen positive signs in the early voting numbers.
Republicans have pointed to heavy turnout in rural areas - especially the northern part of Georgia - which should be strongholds for Donald Trump.
They also pointed to some counties with higher numbers of African-American voters - such as Bibb, Chatham, and Clayton - that seem to be underperforming.
Democrats counter that women, who polls say favor Vice President Kamala Harris, make up nearly 56% of the early vote.
Whoever wins, the Secretary of State's Office expects to end up in court.
"We don't know who's going to win and who wins will decide who sues us, essentially at the end of the day. So, if Vice President Harris wins, we expect Trump officials to sue us. If President Trump wins, we expect Harris officials to sue us," Sterling said.
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)
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