Early-voting turnout triples 2014 midterm election

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. – Voters all across Georgia raced to polling places in what appears to be record numbers during the first week of in-person, early voting last week and Dawson County was no exception.

Statewide, nearly three times as many people (482,435) voted last week compared with the last midterm election according to a report by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Dawson County Director of Elections and Registration Glenda Ferguson said 560 voters turned out Friday, closing out a week in which 2,328 voters cast early ballots compared to only 725 during the first week of the 2014 midterm election.

It is difficult to say whether Dawson County voters are more motivated by what appears to be a very close and increasingly bitter race between Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams for governor or national issues like control of the U.S. House and Senate, illegal immigration and the farcical hearing for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

In-person early voting in Georgia will continue for two more weeks until Nov. 2, including at least one Saturday Oct. 27. Election Day is Nov. 6 when polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

The website Georgia Votes reports that about 61 percent of early voters so far are white and 29 percent are black. Almost 30 percent of early voters didn’t cast a ballot in 2014.

Despite the large number of voters, Ferguson said voting went smoothly all five days with very few glitches.

 

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