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Politics · October 14, 2026

Georgia shatters its Day 1 early voting record for a midterm

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Georgia voters set a new record for first-day early voting in a midterm election, with over 188,000 ballots cast. This represents a significant increase from the previous midterm record of approximately 135,000 in 2022. State officials and political candidates from both parties have been encouraging early participation. While Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger cited the turnout as evidence of voter confidence, political debates continue regarding election integrity, potential federal intervention, and recent resolutions passed by the State Election Board regarding voting machine updates.

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Reported across the spectrum

  • Over 188,000 voters cast ballots on the first day of early voting.
  • The turnout set a record for a midterm election in Georgia.
  • First-day turnout increased by roughly 40% (over 50,000 votes) compared to the 2022 midterm.
  • Both Democratic and Republican candidates have been actively encouraging their supporters to vote early.
  • Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican candidate Rick Jackson both expressed that federal intervention in the election is unnecessary.

Reported by only some outlets

  • Nearly 71,000 voters participated in the first day of early voting in 2018.
  • U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff cast his ballot at a recreation center in Atlanta.
  • The State Election Board passed a resolution on Sept. 30 requesting voting machine updates and the removal of QR codes.
  • A local election-integrity advocacy group, the Coalition for Good Governance, is calling for the State Election Board to rescind that resolution.
  • Early voting in Georgia is scheduled to run through October 30.

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