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Tuesday’s early voting turnout sets highest 1-day record in a presidential election year
Voters line up for early voting at South Clayton Recreation precinct in Clayton County. (Credit: Tammy Joyner)
More than 306,000 Georgians voted on the first day of early voting Tuesday, setting the highest one-day early voting turnout in a presidential election year.
Tuesday’s statewide turnout of 306,118 voters more than doubled that of first-day early voting for the general election four years ago, state election officials reported just after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.
“It’s the highest one-day turnout for early voting in a presidential election year in Georgia,” Secretary of State spokesman Mike Hassinger told State Affairs early Tuesday. Hassinger noted Tuesday’s numbers may “change by a few dozen as counties consolidate and reconcile.”
State election officials got an inkling of the record-setting day when less than two hours after polls opened at 8 a.m. some 40,000 people statewide had voted.
“That’s a record pace,” Secretary of State spokesman Mike Hassinger told State Affairs early Tuesday. “The record in 2020 was approximately 135,000 on the first day of early voting. If it keeps at this pace, we’re talking pretty big numbers.”
Tuesday’s turnout didn’t disappoint.
No hurricane-related disruptions were reported at polling sites, where wait times were averaging about 58 seconds as of 10 a.m., Hassinger said.
At the South Clayton Recreation precinct in Clayton County, Assistant Manager Jaye Norman estimated over 300 voters had come through before 11 a.m. “You should have been here this morning. We got here at about 5 a.m. and they were wrapped around the building,” Norman said.
Polls close between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, depending on the county. Early voting continues through Nov. 1. Check your local election board office to find polling sites in your county.
Tuesday marks 21 days until the Nov. 5 general election.
Find your early voting location here.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
For more information on voting in the Nov. 5 election, check out our voting primer here.
Oct. 15 – Nov. 1: Early voting
Oct. 25: Last day to request an absentee ballot
Nov. 5: General election and deadline for mail-in (absentee) ballots to be returned.
Dec. 3: General election runoff
Have questions? Contact Tammy Joyner on X @lvjoyner or at [email protected].
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