Record Early Voting Opens Georgia Primary

The Georgia Secretary of State's office reported record turnout on the first day of early voting for the state's 2026 primary election.

A total of 35,352 voters cast ballots in person on April 28, a 29% increase over the first day of early voting in the 2022 primary election.

The office reported that 1,732 absentee ballots were accepted on the opening day of voting.

"This record-breaking turnout is proof that Georgians trust our election process," Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said.

"My office is in constant coordination with county election officials to ensure early voting continues to run smoothly," he added.

The first-day total compares with 27,298 in-person votes on the opening day of early voting in 2022 and 9,266 in 2018.

The Washington Examiner reported that more than 70,000 early in-person votes had been cast by Wednesday morning across the first two days of voting, combining activity from the opening days of early voting across the state.

Democrats accounted for about 40,100 early and absentee ballots, compared to roughly 30,800 cast by Republicans, reflecting stronger early participation among Democrat voters.

Daily figures showed 21,490 Democrats voted on the first day compared to 15,119 Republicans, followed by 17,125 Democrats and 14,692 Republicans on the second day.

Participation declined more sharply among Democrats between the first and second days, while Republican turnout remained more consistent across the same period.

Early voting activity was concentrated in Cobb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties, which are among the most populous in the state and have seen strong turnout in recent election cycles.

Cherokee County also reported strong early turnout, ranking among the top counties in ballots cast and showing notable participation levels in a Republican-leaning area.

Georgia voters will decide statewide and local races, House contests, a U.S. Senate race, and an open governor's race to replace term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp.

The primary election is scheduled for May 19, with early voting continuing through May 15.

• Supreme Court Voids Majority-Black La. District
• N.C. Elections Board Flags 34,000 Dead Voters on Rolls