As the 2024 election begins, Georgia, a pivotal battleground state, has already seen a record number of early votes cast. On Tuesday, over 328,000 ballots were submitted, surpassing the state’s previous early voting record set in 2020. Gabe Sterling, a senior official in Georgia’s secretary of state’s office, confirmed the figures on social media platform X, highlighting the growing voter engagement. “With the record-breaking first day of early voting and accepted absentees, we’ve had over 328,000 total votes cast so far,” Sterling remarked.
In the 2020 election, only 136,000 votes were cast on the first day of early voting, making this year’s turnout especially significant. The increase reflects Georgia’s heightened importance in this election, particularly after former President Donald Trump lost the state to President Joe Biden by a narrow margin. The defeat led to widespread efforts by Trump and his allies to challenge the results, which ultimately failed but left a lasting impact on the state’s political environment.
Georgia has since become a hotbed of electoral reform and legal battles, with new changes introduced by Republican members of the State Election Board. These reforms have sparked fierce opposition from Democrats, civil rights groups, and other stakeholders who have raised concerns about voter suppression and transparency. Lawsuits challenging these measures are still pending, intensifying the uncertainty surrounding this year’s election process.
Despite concerns about the changes, voters reported a relatively smooth experience at polling stations, particularly in metro areas like Atlanta. Corine Canada, a voter who participated in early voting, shared her relief at the improved process compared to previous elections. “Last time I voted, the lines were out the door. There were so few staff, and people left because they couldn’t afford to wait that long,” Canada recounted. “This time, it was easy. The system seems to be working better.”
Georgia’s election season is unfolding against the backdrop of recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, which swept through the southeastern U.S. last month, causing significant damage in several states, including Georgia. Election officials were quick to reassure voters that absentee ballots were mailed out on schedule, unaffected by the hurricane’s aftermath. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that as of Tuesday, over 250,000 absentee ballot requests had been processed, with expectations that the number could rise to 300,000 by the end of the voting cycle.
However, some election experts have pointed out that recent changes to absentee ballot laws and restrictions on the use of drop boxes could lead to a decline in absentee voting. In 2020, drop boxes were available 24/7 in many locations, but this year they are fewer in number and only accessible during standard business hours. Consequently, many voters may opt for early in-person voting rather than relying on absentee ballots.
In an effort to ensure the integrity of the election, Raffensperger has introduced several safety measures, including audits of every race and random inspections of voting equipment. He explained that election officials will conduct random audits on Election Day, pulling machines from polling stations and verifying their accuracy. “We want to ensure that the equipment is recording votes correctly and hasn’t been tampered with,” Raffensperger stated. His commitment to transparency follows his high-profile role in the aftermath of the 2020 election when he resisted pressure from Trump to overturn the results, reaffirming Biden’s narrow victory after a statewide recount.
While the voting process appears to be running smoothly, the legal battles surrounding the election reforms continue to intensify. On Tuesday, a marathon court hearing in Fulton County saw Judge Robert McBurney temporarily block a rule that would have required officials to hand-count the number of ballots cast at each polling location. McBurney criticized state officials for implementing the rule too close to Election Day, prompting further legal scrutiny. The rule, which was challenged by Democratic and civil rights groups, will be revisited in court on Wednesday.
Additionally, McBurney is considering another controversial rule introduced by the State Election Board that mandates local election officials to conduct a “reasonable inquiry” into election results before certifying them. Democrats argue that this rule gives too much discretionary power to local officials, potentially delaying or even preventing certification of results in pursuit of alleged irregularities. However, McBurney has already ruled that local officials have a “mandatory obligation” to certify election results within a fixed timeframe, dismissing the idea that certification duties are optional.
For many voters, this election represents more than just a choice of candidates; it is a referendum on the integrity of Georgia’s democratic processes. In line outside an Atlanta-area polling station, several voters shared their motivations for participating. Fay Ainsworth, a self-identified Democrat, emphasized the importance of voting to counter what she described as the “chaos” of Trump’s presidency. “Donald Trump has been the most vicious, uneducated, racist individual we’ve encountered,” she stated. Her companion, Joseph Henry King Jr., 77, echoed similar sentiments. “We’ve got a crazy person running for president and a competent woman running against him,” King said, expressing his support for Vice President Kamala Harris.
On the other hand, independent voter Kareem Rosshandler, 32, cast his ballot for Green Party candidate Jill Stein as a protest against U.S. foreign policy, specifically the Democratic Party’s stance on Israel. “The Democrats haven’t responded to calls for an arms embargo, and if protests don’t work, we need to send a message with our votes,” Rosshandler said. He also praised the Green Party’s platform to abolish the Electoral College, calling it a necessary reform to break the two-party system.
As Georgia’s election unfolds, the stakes remain high, not only for the state but for the broader political landscape of the United States. With early voting numbers breaking records and legal challenges still unresolved, the outcome of this election could have far-reaching implications for the future of U.S. elections and democracy.
This article has been updated with additional developments as the situation continues to evolve.