ATLANTA — Georgia set a new record for first-day early voting, with over 300,000 ballots cast, according to an update from Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer in the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
Sterling posted the announcement on X, stating that the tally was 123% higher than the old record for the first day of early voting.
Sterling said in a previous X post that Georgia had already surpassed early voting numbers by 1 p.m. on Monday, with several hours of voting still to go.
He praised the efforts of county election offices and voters alike, describing the turnout as "MASSIVE" and encouraging Georgia residents to continue participating in the election process.
The day began with a strong turnout, as Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced at a morning press conference that over 71,000 people had voted by 10:30 a.m.
Early voting is available statewide in Georgia’s 159 counties, and absentee ballots have been mailed as scheduled. Raffensperger emphasized the smooth operation of the election process, pointing out that Georgia met its deadlines and that voter ID requirements remain in place for absentee, early, and in-person voting.
Approximately 250,000 absentee ballots have been requested, with the possibility of reaching 300,000 in the coming weeks. The state's "Ballot Scout" app allows voters to track absentee ballots.
Raffensberger stated that Georgia's election system has significantly improved over the past six years, including enhanced voter roll audits and new paper ballots with security features. These updates have received positive feedback from bipartisan groups focused on election integrity.
Raffensperger urged voters to create a voting plan, whether they opt for absentee, early, or Election Day voting, and highlighted the state's goal of a "free, fair, and fast" election process.