Early voting in Georgia has kicked off with impressive numbers, as over 600,000 voters have already cast their ballots by Wednesday evening. This figure represents more than 10% of the expected voter turnout for the 2024 U.S. presidential election. On the first day of early voting, Tuesday, 310,000 people participated, followed by an additional 260,000 on Wednesday, along with 33,000 mail-in ballots being accepted. These early voting figures are significant compared to the record-breaking 5 million votes cast in Georgia during the 2020 election.
Voters in Georgia are faced with a choice between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, Republican Donald Trump, Libertarian Chase Oliver, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Independent candidates, Cornel West and Claudia De la Cruz, are also listed on the ballot, but their votes will not be counted following a state Supreme Court ruling regarding their qualification status.
As Election Day draws closer, both major parties are mobilizing their base to take advantage of early voting. Trump held two campaign events in Georgia this week, while Democratic surrogates urged supporters to vote early as well. The election is particularly heated in Georgia, a key battleground state, where new rules around voting have come into play since 2020. Voters are now required to sign absentee ballot applications, and there has been a reduction in the number of drop boxes available, which has led to fewer mail-in ballot requests compared to the pandemic-impacted 2020 election.
This year’s election rules in Georgia have faced significant legal challenges. Just recently, a judge blocked several controversial rule changes that were passed by a Republican-controlled state board, marking a major legal setback for Trump allies in the state.
