State officials in Georgia have announced a historic turnout for first-day early voting in a midterm election. On Tuesday, more than 188,600 voters cast their ballots in person, a significant increase from the over 53,000 recorded during the 2022 midterms.
Brad Raffensperger, Georgia’s Secretary of State, commented on the turnout, stating, “This record-breaking turnout proves that voters have confidence in the integrity of our elections.” He credited the success to the state’s strong election system and the dedication of the 159 county election officials.
In recent elections, early voting totals in Georgia have proven to be an unreliable indicator of final outcomes. Although traditionally dominated by Democrats, early and absentee voting have seen growing participation from Republicans since 2022. The increase in early voting follows a televised debate between Senate candidates Mike Collins and Jon Ossoff. Ossoff, the Democratic incumbent, challenged Collins, identifying him as a former U.S. Representative.
Newsweek seeks comments from both campaigns as the race unfolds. Currently, Democrats hold both of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats, while Republicans maintain control over multiple statewide offices.
Vice President JD Vance’s Georgia Appearance
Vice President JD Vance visited the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, arriving to chants of “48!” from supporters. Although his speech topics were not disclosed, Vance’s visit is part of a national tour with President Donald Trump to support Republican candidates ahead of Election Day.
On a recent stop in Tyler, Texas, Vance supported state Attorney General Ken Paxton’s U.S. Senate bid. He criticized Democratic candidate James Talarico during the rally, highlighting a deal with Delek Refinery in Tyler, which involves operations expansion through the Defense Production Act.
Increasing Early Voting in Georgia
In 2022, Georgia recorded 134,962 early votes on the first day, marking a 40 percent increase compared to 2026. The trend has been upward, with 70,849 votes cast on the first day of the 2018 election. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to voters choosing early and mail voting, which surged noticeably during the 2020 presidential election with over 4 million early votes.
Georgia provides a minimum of 17 days for early in-person voting, one of the longest windows in the U.S., resulting in a higher percentage of votes being cast before Election Day.
This article is subject to updates. For more details, contact Newsweek editors Jason Lemon and Sam Wilson.
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