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Voters in Georgia turned out in record numbers as early voting opened for the 2024 presidential election between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump. By 4 p.m. on the first day of early voting, over 252,000 voters had cast their ballots—nearly double the number from the same point during the 2020 election, according to state officials. Gabriel Sterling, Georgia's No. 2 election official, described the turnout as "spectacular" on social media.
Early voting, which has gained popularity in recent U.S. elections, saw a major surge in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when nearly one in seven voters cast their ballots ahead of Election Day. Despite some opposition from Republicans to the expansion of mail-in voting, both parties are now urging their supporters to vote early. At a campaign event in Atlanta, Trump expressed enthusiasm about the early voting numbers, noting that they were "coming in at a nice level."
This year, 5.5 million Americans have already voted nationwide, according to the University of Florida's Election Lab. In Georgia, new voting laws implemented since 2020 have tightened rules for mail-in ballots, requiring voters to provide proof of identity and limiting the number of ballot drop-off locations. Georgia remains one of seven key battleground states expected to play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the election.
Despite some legal battles over voting laws, including a recent temporary halt to a rule requiring vote totals to be verified by hand in 2024, the record-breaking turnout demonstrates Georgia's pivotal role in this election. As the state opens its polls, all eyes will be on its voters and the impact they will have on the race between Harris and Trump.
