2.4 Million Ballots Cast as Georgia Midterm Deadline Nears

Friday is the final day for early voting in Georgia ahead of the Tuesday midterm election.

Nearly 2.4 million ballots were cast as of Thursday, according to state records. Turnout has been highest in metro Atlanta and other urban areas where Democrats hold majorities. Conversely, participation remains lower in rural regions that traditionally favor Republicans. University of Georgia political science professor Charles Bullock noted that young and nonwhite voters are turning out at a faster rate than in previous cycles. He stated that Democratic areas are performing well and that younger voters are a key driver of that turnout. Bullock said the data suggests the wind is blowing in Democrats' direction based on current early voting trends.

The race for governor remains tight, with Republican Rick Jackson and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms polling within the margin of error. Sabato’s Crystal Ball recently reclassified the attorney general and secretary of state races as toss-ups after previously labeling them as leaning Republican. Despite these competitive races, experts caution against overinterpreting early numbers. Trey Hood, director of the survey research center at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, emphasized that Georgia does not require party registration. This lack of data makes it difficult to precisely infer election outcomes from early voting alone. Hood described the current speculation as imprecise due to the missing party affiliation figures.

Republican state chairman Josh McKoon acknowledged the early Democratic lead but cited historical patterns. He explained that Democrats typically drive early voting while Republicans dominate Election Day turnout. McKoon said Republicans, particularly in rural Georgia, must show up on Tuesday to win the election. He noted that this dynamic has been consistent since the start of in-person early voting, with the 2024 presidential election as the only recent exception. Bullock countered that this gap might be smaller this year because President Donald Trump is not encouraging supporters to wait for Election Day. He pointed to the primary election, where 150,000 more Democratic ballots were cast than Republican ones. That was only the second time since 2010 that Democrats outperformed Republicans in a primary, with the other instance occurring in 2020.

Jackson expressed concern that rural voters might be taking the election for granted. Speaking in DeKalb County on Tuesday, he warned that if people assume the race is easy, they might not show up. He called the contest a turnout race given its closeness. Bottoms, however, is maintaining pressure on her supporters. After a rally in Clayton County on Wednesday night with former President Barack Obama, she said the team still has thousands of calls to make and doors to knock on. She noted an uptick in Republican votes but insisted the race is not over until it is over. Both candidates are focused on maximizing voter participation in the final days before the polls close.

Polling data supports the current enthusiasm gap. A recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution survey found that only 42% of respondents approved of President Trump’s performance. Just 33% believe the nation is headed in the right direction. Voters cited economic concerns, including rising prices and the impact of tariff policies and the war in Iran. The election is being treated as a referendum on the president’s second term. With the early voting period concluding Friday, both parties are shifting resources toward Election Day mobilization efforts.