Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says record number of early voters on first day

Raffensperger added that he did a citizenship verification check to verify only American citizens were on the voter list. 

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Early voting across Georgia began on October 15, and the state is witnessing a higher turnout than in previous years.

“It started this morning, and we had record turnout throughout the day,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “By 1 o’clock, we had 155,000 people show up to vote, which exceeds our previous one-day early voting record by over 20,000.”

Raffensperger noted that the highest voter turnout recorded before was 135,000, indicating a significant increase this year. He also mentioned that all counties in Georgia are operational following Hurricane Helene.

“Based on the numbers for absentee voting, we expect turnout to be around 5% or 6%,” Raffensperger stated. “Up to last week, 250,000 people requested ballots, and we anticipate another 50,000. So, we expect around 300,000 voters out of approximately 5 million registered voters.”

Raffensperger emphasized the importance of voter safety, assuring residents that their votes are secure.

“None of the machines are connected to the internet, they are all isolated,” he explained. “We require photo ID for all forms of voting, so whether you vote in person or absentee, we use a driver’s license number along with photo ID.”

He also issued a citizenship verification check to ensure that only American citizens are on the voter list.

“I encourage everyone to vote during the early voting period to avoid long lines on Election Day,” Raffensperger added. “What if there’s bad weather? What if you’re coming down with a cold and can’t make it? I urge people to take advantage of early voting.”