The First 2 Days of Early Voting in Georgia Midterms Have Been Record Breaking

According to statistics released by Georgia, the state’s first two days were record-breaking.

About a quarter of a million people voted on the first day for early voting in the state’s 2022 midterm races. 134,045 people cast their ballotsNearly twice as many people voted early for the 2018 midterms than those who voted in the past. 70,849 people voted on the first dayEarly voting. This number is close to the number who voted on Day 1 of Georgia’s early voting for the 2020 presidential election, when 136.739 ballots were cast.

Tuesday saw nearly the same number vote early as Tuesday. According to government statistics, 134,005 people voted on the second day of early voting — just 40 votes shy of day one’s numbers.

The 268,050 ballots cast so far represent the first time in Georgia’s history that more than 100,000 ballots were cast on each of the first two days of early voting.

Long lines have been a result of the high turnout. This is compounded by fact that Georgia has consolidated many of its voting areasThis is especially true in large cities. has enacted stricter voting measuresIt has become more difficult for voters to find the time to wait in line to cast their ballots since the last election.

Government officials and voting rights organizations have urged voters to plan in advance.

“We strongly encourage voters to make a plan to cast their ballots and to double check advanced voting and Election Day polling locations before heading to vote,” a spokesperson for the DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections said.

Making a plan to vote “involves knowing what day they want to vote and how they want to vote, whether early in-person or absentee,” Stephanie Ali, policy director at New Georgia Project, said to The Guardian. “And then, knowing things like if they need a ride or finding out if they know the candidates on their ballot.”

Two crucial races are likely to drive the high turnout. Stacey Abrams, a Democrat, is seeking to challenge the Republican governor. Brian Kemp in a rematch the race from four years back. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democratic senator, hopes to retain his seat against Republican Herschel Shawnel Walker in a closely watched Senate race. This contest will have national implications.

Many counties are strongholds of the Democratic party, which accounts for a large part of the high turnout. Indeed, the six countiesThe highest early voting totals so far went for President Joe Biden in the presidential election two years ago, and represent more than 114,000 votes — or roughly 4 in 10 voters who have cast ballots in the first two days.