Georgia sees record early voting as crucial US election begins in battleground state
A record-breaking number of early votes were cast in Georgia on Tuesday, as residents turned out in large numbers for early voting in one of the most closely watched battleground states, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent, citing CNN.
Gabe Sterling, from the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that more than 328,000 total ballots had been cast, surpassing the previous first-day record of 136,000, set during the 2020 election.
Sterling noted, “So with the record-breaking 1st day of early voting and accepted absentees, we have had over 328,000 total votes cast so far.”
Georgia has drawn significant attention due to its critical role in deciding past presidential elections, with former President Donald Trump losing the state by a narrow margin to President Joe Biden in 2020. This election cycle, Trump is attempting to reclaim Georgia, while election administration changes and ongoing lawsuits have added layers of complexity to the process.
Despite the massive turnout on Tuesday, the voting process appeared smoother in some areas. Corine Canada, a voter from the Atlanta area, commented, “Last time I voted, I voted in the city and the lines were out the door. They only had like, maybe like three people working… But here, no, it was easy.” This smoother experience is attributed to changes in the election system, though parts of the state are still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Helene. Georgia election officials confirmed that absentee ballots were sent out on schedule, unaffected by the storm.
Absentee voting has seen lower demand than in previous years. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger stated that just over 250,000 voters had requested absentee ballots, with the number possibly rising to 300,000, representing 5-6% of the total electorate. Some experts point to new restrictions on absentee ballots and fewer drop boxes as factors discouraging voters from using this option. Drop boxes that were available 24/7 in 2020 are now more limited and only accessible during business hours at election offices or early voting locations.
Raffensperger also emphasized that safeguards were in place to ensure the security of the election. He noted that officials would randomly audit voting equipment on Election Day to ensure it was functioning correctly and free from tampering.
“Pulling out a piece of equipment, a random audit on Election Day, bring it to headquarters and then verify that it is recording the votes accurately, that it has not been hacked by any bad actors out there,” Raffensperger said.
Meanwhile, legal battles continue over new election rules. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney has paused a rule requiring officials to hand-count ballots at polling places, citing concerns about implementing it so close to Election Day. Other rules, such as the requirement for local election officials to investigate results before certifying them, remain under scrutiny.
