Politics
Georgia midterm early voting opens with more than 188,600 in-person ballots
More than 188,600 Georgians voted in person on the first day of early voting for the 2026 midterms, topping the opening-day turnout in 2022. Another 10,200-plus voters had returned mail ballots.
More than 188,600 Georgians cast ballots in person Tuesday, Oct. 13, the first day of early voting for the 2026 midterm elections. The total exceeded in-person turnout on the first day of early voting in 2022, according to state figures reported Wednesday.
More than 10,200 mail ballots had also been returned, bringing the number of ballots cast by the end of Tuesday to nearly 199,000.
The in-person total was higher than on any single early-voting day during the 2022 midterm cycle except its final day, when about 203,000 voters went to the polls.
The strong opening comes as Georgia voters prepare to choose one of the state’s two U.S. senators, a governor and other statewide officials, contests that will help determine control of Congress and state government. Early voting gives voters an alternative to casting a ballot on Election Day, Nov. 3.
The first-day figures mark a busy start to a voting period that will continue through Oct. 30. Turnout may shift as the campaign progresses, and early participation alone does not predict the final outcome. Voters can find polling locations and election information through the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.