ATLANTA — Voter enthusiasm in Georgia is notably high as early voting sees considerable participation. As of Wednesday, it is estimated that over 10% of the expected voter turnout has already cast their ballots.
On the inaugural day of in-person early voting, over 310,000 individuals made their voices heard. By Wednesday afternoon, an additional 180,000 had voted, along with around 30,000 mail-in ballots accepted. This brings the total number of votes cast in Georgia to approximately 540,000, a marked figure compared to the record-setting 5 million votes during the 2020 presidential election in this pivotal state.
At polling stations on Monday, voters showed up early, with many having made their decisions well in advance on their preferred candidates: Democrat Kamala Harris, Republican Donald Trump, Libertarian Chase Oliver, and Green Party nominee Jill Stein. However, it is important to note that two candidates—independent Cornel West and Claudia De la Cruz from the Party for Socialism and Liberation—are listed on Georgia ballots but will not have their votes counted due to a state Supreme Court ruling regarding their candidacy qualifications.
“I’m thrilled to vote against Donald Trump and support Kamala Harris,” stated Anthony Engleton, a retiree from Sandy Springs, an Atlanta suburb. “Trump’s history, his record of misdeeds and deceit shows he’s just a self-serving conman.”
On the other hand, in the Gwinnett County suburb of Berkeley Lake, Karen Hall expressed her strong support for Trump, primarily driven by her worries about immigration. “This is the most critical election of our lives,” Hall emphasized. “Our country is in dire straits, and it needs direction. I believe Donald Trump is the person to restore it.”
Both major political parties are mobilizing their dedicated followers to vote early in Georgia. This strategy allows them to concentrate on less predictable voters later in the election cycle. Trump held two events in Georgia on Tuesday, while Democratic representatives have been actively encouraging voter participation over the past few days.
Georgia’s early voting numbers have surpassed the previous record of nearly 137,000 votes on the first day set in 2020, demonstrating a shift in voter behavior. The increases in early voting are a stark comparison to the accessible mail-in voting options available during the pandemic in 2020, which included online requests and numerous drop boxes. By this point in 2020, about 1.2 million votes had already been recorded.
Currently, in the state, voters must physically sign an application for absentee ballots, leading to stricter regulations on mail-in voting, which has resulted in a significant drop in mail-ballot requests compared to 2020. These changes have been a part of a contentious debate regarding voting laws in Georgia.
Among the early voters is Jimmy Carter, a former president, who overcame physical challenges to participate in the election, alongside current presidential candidate, Libertarian Chase Oliver, who voted on Tuesday in Tucker. “It’s an odd feeling to see your name on the screen and vote for yourself—it’s surreal,” Oliver remarked. He is promoting himself as the only third-party candidate across all 50 states, presenting himself as a viable option for voters disenchanted with the major party nominees.
According to the Carter Center, Jimmy Carter chose to cast his ballot by mail on Wednesday. His son, Chip Carter, shared that his father remains actively engaged in the electoral process, stating, “When I asked him two months ago about turning 100, he said, ‘No, I’m trying to live to vote for Kamala Harris.’”