Georgia early voting turnout breaks records ahead of May 19 election

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Georgia’s early voting numbers are breaking records, with more than 480,000 voters already casting ballots ahead of the May 19 election.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who is also running for Governor, said turnout has nearly hit half a million voters, putting this cycle ahead of past early voting periods. He said voting has been smooth across the state so far.

Raffensperger said some counties may be seeing an added boost because local races are on the ballot.

“Some parts of the state actually are having mayor in elections at the same time. So that’s another impetus,” Raffensperger said. “So you see a lot of, you know, some local cities and those local counties just have higher numbers in the rest of the state. So voters are engaged in the process.”

He said shorter wait times this year, continued election integrity and good voter turnout is what he’s seeing.

Raffensperger said the average turnout is about 9%, with Muscogee County in the Columbus area topping the state because of a mayoral race. He said turnout ranges from 6% to 12%, with total turnout currently at about 10%.

He said 40% to 50% of voters come out on Election Day and that this early participation usually signals continued turnout through the end of voting. He reassured voters about QR codes, saying that the process has been seamless.

When asked what he would say to Georgians who still doubt the security of the state’s election system, Raffensperger pointed to paper ballots, voter ID requirements, and past election audits.

“So we make sure only American citizens are registered, only American citizens are voting, photo ID, and most people are using a driver’s license, which is Real ID-based,” Raffensperger said. “So, we have really safe and secure and fast and accurate elections here in Georgia.”

Raffensperger said counties have been working to train poll workers and prepare for Election Day demand. He said voters who have not yet cast a ballot should visit the state’s My Voter Page website.

He expects Election Day to be the busiest day for voting.