In 2024, Georgia had the largest voter turnout, with close to 68% of registered voters casting a vote. That still means over 30% of registered voters didn’t turn out. Would those votes have changed the outcome? Maybe not. Early voting for the midterms starts on October 13th - 30th. Election Day is November 3rd. Because Georgia is now considered somewhat of a battleground state, there are advertisements running across all media platforms. Believe it or not, some people's lives are so busy that they don’t even realize there is a general election in November. Others are experiencing the economic challenges that we are all facing in such a way that they are energized to vote. Check your voting status, location, and sample ballots here!
Everyone who wants to vote is encouraged to vote early to avoid election day shenanigans. In 2024, bomb threats were phoned into polls, primarily in metro-Atlanta’s Black neighborhoods at 5PM, impacting many who planned to vote on their way home from work.
I reached out to Rodney Strong, an attorney with Griffin & Strong, who represents the ACLU, to speak with us about the upcoming election and the challenges that we may face.
Our state is in the national spotlight this election cycle for many reasons. The Administration has confiscated ballots from Fulton County; there is, of course, the famous call to the Secretary of State after the 2020 election. I asked Strong if the attention was a good thing. He shared that the attention is a direct reflection of the current Administration and the fact that he lost the state of Georgia in 2020 by fewer than 12,000 votes. After numerous investigations by everyone imaginable, including the Republican Party, no voter fraud could be found. Strong emphasizes that, unfortunately, for our upcoming election, that same false mythology is being brought up again.
While many citizens are too busy to be plugged into the current election cycle, Strong reminds us that you have to pay attention because even if you aren’t oriented towards studying public policy, you will be impacted. Your life, livelihood, and community are all affected by the people who are elected to represent our needs. He goes on to speak about the 350,000 Black women who were impacted by the Administration’s DOGE purge, high gas and grocery prices. He points out that the way to change our circumstances is to vote for people who share our values.
Access to quality healthcare and education will depend on who is elected to office in our state.
Strong like most, speaks to the benefit of voting early. During early voting, you are not limited to your local precinct. You can vote at a location near your job, school, and family members. It is always more convenient and includes weekend hours.
Check your voting status, location, and sample ballots here.