GEORGIA, — Friday, Nov. 1, marks the last day of early voting in Georgia for the Nov. 5 presidential election. With a record turnout already reported, state officials anticipate another wave of voters across polling locations.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State's office, more than 3.6 million voters, representing over 50% of active voters in the state, had cast ballots by Thursday. More than 3.4 million participated in early in-person voting, while absentee ballots accounted for 226,482 votes. The high turnout surpasses early voting counts from previous years, including the 2020 and 2022 elections.
Towns County reported the highest turnout among Georgia counties at 68.9%, followed closely by Oconee (65.3%) and Rabun (64%). Other counties showing strong participation included Dawson, Forsyth, and Fayette, all with turnout above 62%.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger attributed the high turnout to expanded access to early voting and infrastructure improvements despite challenges such as delays in the 2021 All-Star Game.
"Georgia voters know we’ve made it easy to cast a ballot. It’s really that simple," Raffensperger said.
Reports indicate that most polling sites experienced minimal delays, though voters at some metro area locations waited longer than 30 minutes to cast their ballots. Early voting numbers are expected to rise further as residents take advantage of the final day to vote before Election Day.