Georgia early voters smash the polls ahead of election day

A record number of voters have voted ahead of Election Day, with early voting totals passing 3 million, a little over 40% of active Georgia voters, as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the secretary of state website.

At this point in 2020, 15 days into early voting, about 1.97 million voters reached the polls. In 2022, about 1.64 million people had voted in the state.

Efforts for voter engagement have propped up around Bibb County, with Souls to the Poll and the Vote Early Rally happening over the weekend.

Early voting in Bibb County started Oct. 18, with a handful of polling locations opening weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Nearly 40,000 Bibb County voters have filled out their ballots in person while about 2,000 absentee ballots have been collected, according to the Bibb County Elections Board.

Thomas Gillon, the county’s election supervisor, said compared to the 2022 governor’s race — the last big race — turnout has been “much better.” He added that there are a number of people who only vote in presidential election cycles.

This year, the county has about 117,000 registered voters, 30,000 more than in the 2016 election, where voter turnout was 73%.

Chris Lawrence, the chair of the political science department at Middle Georgia State University, said it’s a combination of demographic and psychological factors that determine whether someone votes or not.

Stakeholding, or how much of a stake someone feels they have in an election, drives people to vote, and is influenced by some of these factors. For example, older voters are more likely to vote because they have property at stake and are settled down in an area.

On the other hand, younger people may not feel as impacted by election results, and are less likely to vote, Lawrence said.

“There’s always the perception that voters may feel like their votes might not make a difference or that it’s not necessarily going to be worthwhile compared to the time and effort it takes to vote,” he said.

Democrats at the local Macon branch have dozens of volunteers canvassing neighborhoods and calling residents to get people to vote. 

Conventionally, Lawrence said higher voter turnout is thought to favor Democratic candidates, since less politically engaged voters captured by more turnout usually were more middle class and voted Democrat.

However, since the 2016 election, there’s been some debate as Trump has had more overlap with that demographic.

“A lot of it comes down to … mobilizing the less engaged voters, what are their demographics? What are their points of view?” Lawrence said.

Voters might feel indifferent about the result of an election not because the messages do not appeal to them, but rather because the messages are not getting through to them.

Candidates on both sides make claims to the same issues, like inflation, but it can be hard for those not as politically engaged to understand who is better for them.

“If you don’t have the political knowledge or the education to make sense of those claims, and determine which claims are more accurate for your given situation, these actions might cancel each other out. ”

Tuesday, Nov. 5 is Election Day. Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Here are the Bibb county polling locations:

River Edge Behavioral Center (Health Department entrance): 175 Emery Hwy, Macon, GA 31217

Boys and Girls Club (King Danford Unit): 1301 Shurling Drive, Macon, GA 31211

Appling Middle School: 1646-B Upper River Road, Macon, GA 31211

New Griswoldville Baptist Church: 3003 Truitt Place, Macon, GA 31211

Swift Creek Baptist Church: 4354 Jeffersonville Road, Macon, GA 31217

Godfrey:

Robert J. Williams Complex: 1780 Anthony Road, Macon, GA 31201

Beulah Baptist Church: 1536 MLK Blvd., Macon GA 31201

Beulahland Bible Church: 1010 Newberg Ave., Macon, GA 31206

Bruce Elementary School: 3660 Houston Ave., Macon, GA 31206

Harvest Cathedral: 2254 Rocky Creek Road, Macon, GA 31206

Hazzard

Covenant Life Cathedral: 4543 Bloomfield Road, Macon, GA 31026

Lake Wildwood Clubhouse: 100 Clubhouse Road, Macon GA 31220

Middle GA State University (Art Complex Building & Music Rehearsal Hall): 100 University Dr., Macon GA 31206

Tabernacle Baptist Church: 6611 Zebulon Road, Macon, GA 31220

Howard:

Northway Church: 5915 Zebulon Road, Macon GA 31210

Howard Community Club: 5645 Forsyth Road, Macon, GA 312210

Turning Point at the Mabel White Baptist Church: 1415 Bass Road, Macon, GA 31210

Masonic Temple Riverside Drive: 2936 Riverside Drive, Macon GA 31204

Forest Hills Methodist Church: 1217 Forest Hill Road, Macon GA 31210

St. Francis Episcopal Church: 432 Forest Hill Road, Macon GA 31210

Northside Christian Church: 5024 Northside Drive, Macon GA 31210

Rutland:

Mikado Baptist Church: 6751 Houston Road, Macon GA 31216

Porterfield Baptist Church: 2910 Allen Road, Macon GA 31216

Vineville:

Professional Learning Center: 2003 Riverside Drive, Macon GA 31204

First Christian Church: 2306 Vineville Avenue, Macon GA 31204

Glorious Hope Baptist Church: 3805 Napier Ave., Macon GA 31204

Greater Bellevue Baptist Church: 4041 Mumford Road, Macon GA 31204

Northminster Presbyterian Church: 565 Wimbish Road, Macon GA 31210

Lutheran Church of The Redeemer: 390 Pierce Ave., Macon GA 31204

Warrior:

Lizella Baptist Church: 2950 S. Lizella Road, Lizella GA 31052

Macon Evangelistic Church: 5399 Hartley Bridge Road, Macon GA 31216