Georgia sets new early voting record


At the polls, pick one ballotTo do before you go

“My Voter Page” website.

Information about local elections and your “My Voter Page” can also be found on the state’s “GA Votes” mobile application. You can download the free app for both Apple and Android operating systems using either the iTunes app store for an iPhone or iPad or Google Play for Android.

Don’t make these mistakes

Sorry, no selfies allowed. That’s right, voting booths are just another of the many places in which you can’t bring your selfie stick or selfie arm.

Georgia code stipulates that “no elector shall use photographic or other electronic monitoring or recording devices or cellular telephones while such elector is within the enclosed space in a polling place.”

So basically, if you’re taking a photo of your ballot, a photo of you and your ballot or just a selfie of you proudly performing your civic duty then you’ll be breaking this law. So resist the urge to selfie and instead tell us #WhyIvoted after you vote.

Georgia law also prohibits display of political speech in a polling place. So no T-shirts, buttons or fliers featuring a candidate or position on a ballot question.

After you vote

Post the peach: What major issue is on your mind as you pick either a Democratic or Republican candidate as your official vote for the party's nominee? Let us know what brought you out to the polls via the hashtag #WhyIvoted. Post a photo to Instagram, to show us the reason you took to the polls. Or, take to Twitter to tell us what brought you out on Tuesday via the same hashtag.

Problem at the polls

If you see or experience problems, first contact your local elections office. If local officials can't help, the secretary of state's office has an online complaint form via the "elections" tab at www.sos.ga.gov.

Staff writers Kristina Torres and Erica Hernandez contributed to this report.

More than 405,000 early ballots were cast in Georgia ahead of the March 1 presidential preference primary, with those living in metro Atlanta leading the way.

Approximately 100,000 Georgians cast their ballots Friday, the last day of early voting in the state.

The previous record for early voting in Georgia for a presidential preference primary was set in 2008 with a total of 271,418 votes. That record was broken on Thursday.

“The fact that nearly 100,000 people voted on Friday alone shows voters are getting engaged as they meet candidates visiting Georgia,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp. “Voters are having their voices heard, while candidates are enjoying our famous southern hospitality.”

Here is the breakdown for some of the counties with the highest voter turnout:

  • Fulton: 37,322 total
  • DeKalb: 30,130 total
  • Gwinnett: 19,728 in-person

Cobb County will release its Friday numbers on Monday.

Election Day is Tuesday, March 1. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. statewide.