Early primary brings earlier voting - and new challenges for campaigns

Early voting begins Monday for Georgia’s heated primary contests, as candidates for the wide-open Republican campaign for the U.S. Senate and a competitive governor’s race work to mobilize their supporters for one of the earliest elections in state history.

The May 20 primary has upended Georgia's electoral calendar, forcing candidates to gear up their get-out-the-vote drives earlier than ever. The shift was made to ensure there was enough time for overseas military personnel to vote, and the date was moved even earlier by GOP officials hoping a vote before most schools dismiss will boost turnout.

A barrage of costly advertisements are already bombarding the airwaves, and that will only intensify as the media coverage heightens ahead of the vote. It’s anyone’s guess whether the timing will draw out more voters or simply confuse the electorate, but a chunk of the voting public will make its choice sooner.