Augusta, GA

‘A lot is at stake’: Local voters weigh in on presidential race

Published

1 year ago

October 18, 2024

‘A lot is at stake’: Local voters weigh in on presidential race

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – We are just 18 days away from election day, and Georgia has already seen record-breaking numbers at the polls in early voting.

In Richmond County so far, more than 11,000 voters have shown up at the polls.

In Columbia County so far, more than 12,000 voters have shown up at the polls.

Election officials say the numbers speak for themselves about the urgency voters are having right now with this election.

Voters say it’s now or never for the next four years if they don’t act now.

“There’s a lot at stake, a lot of rights at stake, a lot of what could happen depending on who gets in office,” said Richmond County voter, Amaya Swafford.

A look at Helene’s impact on mail-in voting

Add mail-in voting to the growing list of things Helene has impacted as we’re just 19 days out from election day. A major backlog of mail means there are concerns absentee ballots won’t make it in on time.

Voters like Swafford are making sure their voice is represented.

“It’s nice that so many people care. So that makes me happy, but it also makes me nervous, because the race is so tight,” she said.

The presidential race remains neck and neck with national polls favoring Harris.

But in key battleground states like Georgia, Trump is taking the edge.

Richmond County’s Board of Elections Executive Director Travis Doss says the urgency with voters is being reflected in the turnout.

“Georgia, of course, after 2020, has been now classified as a battleground state, and I think just with the media attention on that, is what’s driving people to make sure that their choice is made, as far as voting for which candidate they want for president,” said Doss.

Election officials say they haven’t seen turnout this high before.

FILE - A sale sign stands outside a home in Wyndmoor, Pa., Wednesday, June 22, 2022. The...

Columbia County Board of Elections Executive Director Nancy Gay said: “The lines have been out the door pretty much the entire time. 24 years that I’ve been here, I don’t know that we’ve voted over 12,000 people in three days.”

Columbia and Richmond counties are already seeing close to 11% voter turnout in three days – an uptick officials hope to stay strong.

Doss said: “We’re hoping it would be great if we would get between 40% to 45% of early votes. So, if we could get something around that, then I could see, you know, well, up into the 70% for a total with election day.”

Your choice is just 18 days away to decide on your vote.

Swafford said: “Now is the time to participate, because whether you like it or not, you will be governed by one of these candidates, so you have to make the choice.”

If you missed the past three days, you have until November 1 to vote early.

To find your polling location in Richmond County, visit https://www.augustaga.gov/2836/Advance-Voting-Location-Information.

To find your polling location in Columbia County, visit https://www.columbiacountyga.gov/318/Board-of-Elections.

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Augusta, GA

One dead following a shooting in Richmond County

Published

6 hours ago

March 28, 2026

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One dead following a shooting in Richmond County

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Coroner’s Office said a person has died after a shooting on Division Street Saturday afternoon.

Officials say the shooting happened at the 2100 block around 4 p.m.

The victim was shot at least one time and taken to Wellstar MCG, where he later died, the coroner’s office says.

The sheriff’s office also went to Division Street at approximately 4 p.m. in reference to the incident, deputies say.

An autopsy has been scheduled.

No further information is available at this time.

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Augusta, GA

Sandusky Ohio News | Sandusky Register

Published

18 hours ago

March 28, 2026

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Augusta, GA

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with $1.85M federal grant

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

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Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with .85M federal grant

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.

The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.

“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

Reviving a historic community

The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.

“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.

Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”

The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.

“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”

Federal support and future plans

The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.

With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.

“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”

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