Georgians continue to flock to polls to vote early
Georgians continue to flock to the polls early, with more than 42,000 votes cast this week.
The early voting count was up to nearly 88,000 since the window opened on July 2. Slightly more than 76 percent of the ballots cast in early voting so far have been in the Republican runoffs.
About 23 percent of the ballots cast have been in the Democratic primary, but the draw to the polls fell after the top two elected offices for the party’s nominees were set during the May primary.
Republicans still have to choose their nominees for governor and lieutenant governor.
Only 541 early voting ballots have been cast in non-partisan races.
The runoffs are required in Georgia for races in which no candidate won a majority in the May 22 primary. Early voting began July 2 and lasts through July 20. The runoff will be held July 24.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp are vying for the Governor’s Mansion while state Sen. David Shafer and former state Rep. Geoff Duncan hope to fill the state’s second-highest office.
The Democratic nominees for governor and lieutenant governor are former state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams and business executive Sarah Riggs Amico, respectively.
On the Democratic side in the runoffs, voters are selecting candidates for Congress in metro Atlanta’s 6th and 7th districts. They’ll also decide the Democratic nominee for state school superintendent.
The early-voting figures include in-person advance voting and mailed-in ballots.
Early-voting locations and hours can be found online at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.
About the Author
Maya T. Prabhu covers the Georgia Senate and statewide issues as a government reporter for The AJC. Born in Queens, New York, and raised in northern Virginia, Maya attended Spelman College and then the University of Maryland for a master's degree. She writes about social issues, the criminal justice system and legislative politics.
