Georgia Early Vote Should Pass 800,000; Far Less Than 2008 Election
Georgia early voting seems certain to pass 800,000 ballots cast, a sizable number by its own merits, but still down from nearly 2.1 million in the presidential election two years ago.
More than three-quarter million early ballots have been cast, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s elections division. Total ballots cast were 761,042 with 643,936 voted in person, 117,106 mail-in ballots and 58,606 mail-in ballots outstanding. General voters can return mail-in ballots through Tuesday. Military personnel ballots will be counted through Friday.
This is the second general election and the first mid-term in which all eligible Georgians are permitted to vote early in-person or by mail-in without having to provide a reason or excuse.
Two years ago the state recorded 2,084,1279 early ballots and that represented 53% of total ballots, said Matt Carrothers, director of media relations for the Secretary of State’s office.
Presidential election years generate more voters than mid-term elections. Georgia turnout in the three most recent presidential elections was 69% in 2000 when Texas Governor George W. Bush defeated Vice President Al Gore, 77% four years later when President Bush defeated Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and 76% two years ago when Illinois Sen. Barack Obama defeated Arizona Sen. John McCain.
Fewer Georgians vote in mid-term election years. Governor Sonny Perdue upset incumbent Governor Roy Barnes in 2002 with 54% of eligible Georgians voting. The total voter percentage declined to 48% when Perdue won re-election over Democratic challenger Mark Taylor in 2006.
Election history dating to 1988 is available on the Secretary of State website, www.sos.ga.gov/elections.
Mike Klein is Editor at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.
Summertime Blues: Will Grandpa Blast His Way Through Wii World?
This article was published by the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity.
One person’s stimulus is another person’s wasted tax dollars. It depends on your point of view. There is no mistaking what Republican Senators John McCain and Tom Coburn think in their new report, “Summertime Blues : 100 Stimulus Projects That Give Taxpayers The Blues.”
The McCain – Coburn study released this week in Washington is a direct rebuttal to the White House strategy “Recovery Summer.” Who or what recovered depends on anyone’s point of view and everyone is entitled to have one. Certainly the Georgia economy has not recovered or the state would be doing better than 10% unemployment, higher than the national average. Continue reading
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