There’s no one answer to what brought Georgia voters out to the polls on March 1.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is interested in capturing the conversation around this presidential primary so we’re asking Georgians to tell us why they voted via the hashtag: #whyIvoted.
Kathy Cobb, 55, a Valdosta nurse, cast her ballot at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center on Super Tuesday. She said there is more at stake in this year's election than in past.
Another Valdosta voter, William Gregory, 82, agreed.
"The stakes are the highest they've ever been," Gregory said. "We're about to lose this country to a socialist and, as they call themselves now, a progressive group that are against everything that I am for."
Gregory said he voted for Ted Cruz because he is a "true conservative" and constitutionalist.
Fancy Hattaway, who has lived in Valdosta for 43 years, said she is "fed up with the Democrats."
"I don't want a liar in the White House," Hattaway said. "I want us to move forward instead of staying stagnated."
Economic and racial inequality were on the minds of Georgia voters.
Shelby King, 25, of Brookhaven, voted at the Tucker Recreation Center to support the candidate she said best represents her views on human rights -- Bernie Sanders.
"All of society is not able to pull themselves up by the bootstraps," said Shelby. "Especially when they are drowning under mountains of student loan or healthcare debt."
Glenda Vargas, of Lawrenceville, cast her ballot at Bethesda Elementary. She didn't disclose who she voted for, but she said she doesn't think Trump represents "the majority" of Americans.
"As a Hispanic, my vote counts, and my voice needs to be heard," Vargas said. "I was voting also for my people, even if they're illegal. Because they're still human, and they have rights."
Imran Khan, 29, of Buford, voted at North Metro First Baptist Church in Lawrenceville. Khan, a Muslim, said he found it "ironic" that his precinct is a church.
"This didn't bother me, but it kind of represents a problem that the U.S. has with separation of church and state," Khan said. "They'd probably never hold a voting location at a mosque or even a temple."
Other voters expressed their views on the importance of voting regardless of political affiliations.
Melissa Ramirez, 22, of Duluth, said it's "an irresponsibility" not to vote.
"As a millennial, I take my responsibility to vote very seriously," Ramirez said. "We cannot let this country be run on policies supported solely by older citizens."
Toby Bolsen, assistant professor of political science at Georgia State University, echoed Ramirez's views.
"Even though a single vote won't change the outcome of any election it's important for us to participate anyway," Bolsen said. "We could see very different political outcomes if we got more 18 to 29-year-olds making up voters in the electorate."
Scroll through the feed below to see the reasons some Georgians felt compelled to vote in today’s primary and be sure to tweet your reason with the hashtag #WhyIvoted after you vote today too.
Not sure how or where to vote? More information on the do's and don'ts of voting today can be found here.
Staff writer Tamar Hallerman contributed to this report.
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