Local officials, voter groups react to early voting turnout

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Polls have been open now for practically two weeks for early voting.

Richmond County Board of Elections says they’ve seen a report variety of early voters, with extra choosing in-person, and shifting different voting choices to the again of the road.

Greater than 8,000 folks in each Columbia and Richmond counties have already voted. In Richmond County, that’s about 7 p.c of all registered voters.

Might 20 is the final date to vote early earlier than election day on Might 24.

“I grew up believing and being taught that it was an obligation and that whenever you fail to vote, you’re failing to share your voice,” stated Marian Brown, League of Girls Voters of the CSRA.

An in depth variety of candidates, however a shortlist of choices to solid your ballet. It’s the primary election to usher in Georgia’s new voting legal guidelines.

A piece of the Election Integrity Act of 2021 altered the timeline for absentee voting, and although the Richmond County Board of Elections noticed a dip in requests, they noticed a better quantity than they anticipated.

Travis Doss, elections director, Richmond County Board of Elections stated: “Our absentee poll numbers are a lot decrease than what we had in 2020. As a result of in 2020, we had 36,000 absentee ballots, we’ve got about 1,200.”

Whereas they’re seeing report numbers at in-person polls, dropbox use has dropped all around the state, together with Richmond County. Beneath the brand new measure, counties are allowed one per 100 hundred thousand voters.

“Positively a lower, primarily as a result of it’s indoors. We solely have one, the place throughout 2020, we had 5 stations all through the county. We solely have the one right here within the municipal constructing,” he stated.

For Brown, she believes that is the brand new period of voting.

“I feel folks now wish to ensure that they’re following the letter of the regulation, not that they didn’t meet for, however I feel folks wish to ensure that they’re following the regulation. In order that they know, they’ve performed their due diligence, and their vote will ultimately rely.”

One factor Doss says to do earlier than you head to the polls is print out a pattern poll. The candidate listing is kind of expansive and realizing who you’re voting for and the place to go can go a good distance.

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