You might think that the longest runoff period in Georgia history would result in more votes cast.
But that’s probably not going to be the case. As of Friday, fewer than 150,000 had taken advantage of early voting and election officials are expecting the final turnout numbers to be far lower than the primary – possibly in the single digits.
It doesn’t have to be that way. There’s still time to buck the low turnout prediction. And we’re here to help. The AJC has pulled together everything you need to know to get ready for Tuesday. In today’s paper, you will find profiles of the Republican Senate candidates and our “Hot Sheet” outlining the big races as well as the important details you need to know before heading to the polls.
Online we have much, much more at ajc.com and MyAJC.com. We’ve worked hard to provide as much useful information as possible and serve it up in engaging ways. We have an interactive page that explores the Senate candidates’ positions on issues, with sound clips so you can hear them talk about their views. If you are not already sick of the Senate race television ads, you can review all of them with an eye toward what they say about the race and the candidates who approved them. We have an interactive map that shows where the Senate candidates’ donations have come from as well as every Politifact rating done on campaign rhetoric.
If you want a complete rundown of who will be on your ballot, the AJC has partnered with the League of Women voters on a non-partisan interactive voter’s guide. All of this is in addition to our extensive coverage of the races.
We know that people want information in various ways and we are experimenting with ways to reach Georgians on every platform. You might even see another rap video from our Washington correspondent, Daniel Malloy, whose Primary Day video earned him fans (and a few groans) in Georgia and beyond (“Some were laughing with me, some were laughing at me,” he says).
Providing you with the information you need to participate in the Democratic process is our most fundamental responsibility and it’s one we take very seriously. The AJC puts tremendous resources into covering this and every election. More than a dozen staffers have been working for months to report on the various political races, the process of voting and to create the resources you see in print and online.
We do it because elections matter.
They matter at the local level where they determine who will run your school system and who will be in charge of keeping you and your family safe.
And they matter at the national level, too. The choices voters make for U.S. House and Senate seats help shape the direction of the nation, more so, one could argue, than even a Presidential election.
Georgia’s Senate race is a good example. Republican voters on Tuesday will decide whether U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston or businessman David Perdue will become their party’s nominee for U.S. Senate. This decision has already become part of the national drama as the two major political parties fight for a majority in the Senate.
Malloy has been covering the Senate race. He says the national interest in our Senate race will only grow.
“The Senate race is one of a few that could decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the chamber next year,” he said. “If Democrats take over this red seat, it would all but thwart Republican ambitions to pick up the six seats they need to take back the Senate. As a result, expect plenty of national money and attention to flow into Georgia in the fall.”
In some cases Tuesday’s election will be the final word. In DeKalb County, for example, the outcome of Tuesday’s election will determine the next Sheriff.
Incumbent Jeff Mann and challenger Vernon Jones advanced to the runoff after they emerged from a field of eight candidates vying to complete the term of Thomas Brown, who stepped down to run for Congress. The winner of Tuesday’s election will fill the remainder of Brown’s four-year term.
Those are just some of the higher profile examples. Many races will be decided Tuesday. And, it’s possible that they will be decided by a tiny slice of the electorate.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
We hope you will find what we’ve put together helpful. With the general election coming in November, we will have plenty of opportunities to build on our coverage. I’d love to hear what you find helpful and any additional features you might like to see.
