More than 45,000 early voters in Georgia have cast ballots ahead of the Nov. 4 election, with those living in metro Atlanta leading the way. An update Tuesday from the Secretary of State’s Office tallied the totals, including the top five counties with the highest turnout so far. A majority of voters to date have mailed in absentee ballots, but the “in person” voting that kicked off Monday statewide will climb before the state’s early voting period ends Oct. 31.

General statewide turnout

  • Number of ballots cast: 45,339
  • Number of ballots voted in person: 20,769
  • Number of mail-in ballots returned: 24,570
  • Number of mail-in ballots outstanding: 51,284

5 counties with highest turnout

  • DeKalb: 3,743
  • Fulton: 3,417
  • Cobb: 2,840
  • Gwinnett: 2,639
  • Richmond: 1,360

How do I vote early in Georgia?

Any voter registered in Georgia can vote early. Voters can see personalized sample ballots, verify their registration status and find early-voting polling locations on the secretary of state's "My Voter Page" website (www.mvp.sos.ga.gov). Don't forget Georgia requires voters to show photo identification when they vote in person. Approved forms of identification include a Georgia driver's license, even if it's expired; a state-issued voter identification card; a valid U.S. passport; and a valid U.S. military photo ID.