Georgia voters cast 2.8 million ballots before Tuesday election

More than 2.8 million Georgians cast ballots during the early voting period, a total that officials say sets up a tight race for several statewide offices on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office certified 2,828,147 early ballots, a number that exceeds the midterm early voting record set in 2022.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger addressed reporters at the State Capitol on Monday to discuss the preparations for Election Day. He compared the start of voting at 7 a.m. to the Kentucky Derby, stating that all precincts will release voters at once. Raffensperger emphasized that the state has paper ballots available for a 100% hand recount if a race comes down to a small margin.

The Secretary of State cited a 15-month review by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts. That review found the state’s voter rolls to be 99.9% accurate and confirmed that registered voters are eligible American citizens. Raffensperger said poll workers will use electronic devices and paper logs to check in voters quickly and securely.

Political analysts point to geographic differences in the early numbers. Mark Rountree, president of Landmark Communications, said turnout models show a strong turnout in Democratic-leaning metro Atlanta areas. In contrast, rural conservative areas saw slower early voting. Rountree estimates this creates an early cushion of 250,000 to 300,000 votes for Democrats.

County election offices must upload early tallies to the state’s Election Data Hub before 8 p.m. on election night. Rountree said this will show a visible lead for Democrats before precinct votes from Tuesday arrive. He noted that the Republican campaign must turn out at least 1.5 million voters on Election Day to close that gap. Those voters would need to support Republican candidates by more than 60% to erase the deficit.

Rountree’s team also identified roughly 800,000 early voters who have no history of voting in a primary for either party. He noted that 57% of these unaligned voters live in the core 10 to 11 counties around metro Atlanta. Both parties are uncertain how this group will vote in down-ballot contests. Landmark polling suggests split-ticket voting could reach 8% to 8.5%, which is higher than the state average of roughly 5.5%.

Voters have specific rules to follow on Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters must cast ballots at their assigned neighborhood precinct, as advance voting centers are closed. Several precincts have moved since the primary, so voters should check their location on the Georgia My Voter Page. Photo identification is required, and voters must bring a valid government-issued ID. Mail-in absentee ballots must be received by county offices by 7 p.m. to be counted.

After polls close, state election officials will conduct 20 post-election risk-limiting audits. These audits will cover all 14 congressional districts and six statewide constitutional contests. Officials will also perform full audits of scanned ballot images to verify the results.