Election officials seeing low early voting turnout in Bulloch County

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - In the last week of early voting, very few people are taking advantage.

Turnout is low statewide ahead of the November election.

The numbers are down at the polls across the state for early voters. That includes counties across our region including Bulloch County where only about 5% of registered voters have come out to cast a vote.

Poll workers across the state say the voter lines are short, if there is one at all.

According to the Georgia Secretary of State website, only 4.5% of registered voters in Georgia have gone to the polls so far for the November election.

That is around 320 thousand people out of over 7 million.

“It’s always disappointing when you know that you have so many people,” said Shontay Jones, Bulloch Board of Elections.

Bulloch County Board of Elections Supervisor, Shontay Jones, says it all starts locally.

Key issues are on the ballot that will impact people for the next several years.

This includes the ESPLOST, FLOST, and the Statesboro Mayor race.

“When people complain about tax dollars and stuff like that but you know not coming out to voice your opinion or cast your ballot on things that will directly affect you,” said Jones.

So far, she says they have had 21 hundred Bulloch residents come through the door.

Around 5% of the registered voter population here.

“They could be unconcerned, uninformed, just over elections, you never know,” said Jones.

Jones says compared to the 20,000 who voted in the 2024 presidential election the possibility for what she calls “election burnout” is very real.

For Bulloch residents who do not vote in the early period, all 16 precincts will be open on November 4th.