Early voting demonstrates historic turnout in US battleground state
Date
10/20/2024 1:35:24 AM
(MENAFN) Early voting for the upcoming US presidential election has kicked off in Georgia, a key battleground state, with unprecedented turnout reported on the first day. Gabriel Sterling, Georgia's leading election official, announced that at least 328,000 ballots had already been cast, representing more than double the number from the first day of early voting in 2020.
Early voting in Georgia and other states is permitted to begin as early as six weeks before Election Day, which falls on November 5 this year. This initiative aims to alleviate crowds at polling places, allowing voters greater flexibility. While states have different start dates for early voting, Illinois began its early voting period as early as September 26. Most states, however, typically start early voting in mid to late October. This week alone, several states, including Iowa, Kansas, Rhode Island, Tennessee, North Carolina, Louisiana, Washington, Massachusetts, and Nevada, have opened their polls.
Georgia stands out as a highly contested state that could significantly influence the overall outcome of the election. Other important battleground states include Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Sterling characterized the early voter turnout in Georgia as "spectacular" and "record-breaking" in a post on X. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, who narrowly lost Georgia to current President Joe Biden in 2020, expressed optimism about the early voting trends during a campaign event in Atlanta, stating, “the votes are coming in at a nice level for us.”
However, while Georgia experiences this surge in voter participation, nationwide turnout has been notably lower. Analysts at Election Lab estimate that only about 5.5 million Americans have cast their ballots so far, a significant decline compared to the 27 million votes counted at the same point during the 2020 election cycle. This disparity raises questions about voter engagement and enthusiasm as the election approaches.
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