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Early voting has ended in Georgia as the state prepares for next week’s midterm primary elections.
The last day for early voting is Friday, May 15th. Voting times may vary by location, and Georgia voters can check their registration status, voting location, and more through the Secretary of State’s Office’s My Voter Page.
Voting day is Tuesday, May 19th, and polling places will be open everywhere from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There are several high-profile races in Georgia, including the Democratic and Republican primaries for governor, the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, and the bipartisan primary for secretary of state. Many other local horse races in the state are also on the ballot.
This may also be the last election using the current district maps and voting system. Outgoing Gov. Brian Kemp brought state lawmakers back to Atlanta for a special session this summer to discuss voting machine changes and possible redistricting for the 2028 election cycle following the Louisiana v. Calais Supreme Court ruling in late April.
Early voting sets record on first day
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said more than 35,000 Georgians cast early votes on the first day, April 27, setting a record for the state.
“This is proof that Georgians trust our elections,” he said in a post to X.
Raffensperger, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, also served as Georgia’s secretary of state during the 2020 general election, when President Trump claimed there was widespread voter fraud, particularly in Fulton County. In the call, the president called on Georgia officials to “find” the votes to defeat Joe Biden.
In the two weeks since early voting began, more than 800,000 Georgians have voted as of Thursday night. This represents 11% of Georgia’s current 7,356,974 eligible voters.
The highest early voting rate was in Bleckley County in central Georgia, where more than 20% of the county voted early. Turnout was also high in McIntosh, Butts and Wilkes counties.
Democrats lead in early voting turnout
Of the 816,227 voters who have already cast their ballots in Georgia, more Democrats have voted than Republicans.
Unofficial turnout statistics show that 451,901 Democrats, 352,098 Republicans and 12,228 independent voters took advantage of early voting in Georgia, according to the Secretary of State’s Election Data Hub.
The majority of early voters were white, with 430,677 votes cast. Black voters followed with 274,756 votes. and other racial minorities making up the remaining 110,794 people.
Women accounted for 57% of early votes, and the majority of voters are between the ages of 55 and 79, according to Elections Hub data.
Data is considered “unofficial” at this stage and may be updated later.
Many voters are unsure whether to vote at the ballot box.
Polls released during the first week of early voting showed many voters undecided about who they would choose for the state’s top seat.
Eight Republican candidates are on the ballot, including Brad Raffensperger, Bert Jones, Chris Carr, Clark Dean, Greg Kirkpatrick, Ken Yasger, Rick Jackson, and Tom Williams.
Seven Democratic candidates are also in the race, including Amanda Duffy, Derrick Jackson, Jeff Duncan, Jason Estevez, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mike Thurmond and Ol Brown.
Rick Jackson and Bert Jones have been vying for the top Republican nomination for months, each spending time at the top of the polls and polarizing the Republican base. Brad Raffensperger consistently finishes in third place. While Jones is a Trump-endorsed candidate, Jackson is closely aligned with the MAGA movement and stronghold in Georgia. The two sides have spent much of the campaign attacking each other, leading Raffensperger to release an ad depicting his opponents throwing mud in each other’s faces while he was “focused on getting the job done.”
On the Democratic side, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms has a wide lead, with approval ratings ranging from 39% to 52%, depending on the poll. In recent months, polls have shown Michael Thurmond and Jeff Duncan trailing behind her, with Jason Esteves gaining ground in fourth place.
But the number of undecided voters is as high as 35% in some polls, matching Mr. Bottoms’ approval rating, and it is unclear which way he will go once he hits the ballot box.
Georgia gubernatorial primary likely to head to runoff
Both the Democratic and Republican primaries could easily go to runoffs, meaning no single candidate achieved a 50% majority in the first round.
If that happens, the top two candidates from each party would be voted on again on June 16, the day before the General Assembly begins a special session under the Gold Dome in Atlanta. This means that lawmakers will (likely) know the primary results when considering statewide redistricting.
Eileen Wright is an Atlanta Connect reporter for USA Today’s Deep South Connect team, covering midterm races in Georgia. X Find her at @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
