Recent data reveals that rural Georgians are voting early at a higher rate compared to residents in Democratic-leaning counties that played a crucial role in President Biden's victory in 2020. Among the state's 159 counties, the top 23 for absentee and early in-person voter turnout were won by former President Donald Trump in the previous election.
Notably, rural counties like Towns, Oconee, and Rabun have witnessed impressive early voting rates, with 69.06%, 65.51%, and 64.46% of their active voters already casting their ballots, respectively. Towns County, in particular, has exceeded the Georgia county average early turnout rate by approximately 15%.
On the other hand, suburban blue-leaning counties such as Cobb, Gwinnett, and the Democratic stronghold of Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, have shown lower early voting percentages. For instance, 53.51% of active voters in Fulton County have already cast their ballots before Election Day.
Georgia has set new early voting records since the commencement of early voting on October 15. State officials recently announced that over half of the state's total active voters have already participated in the voting process.
Despite the high early voting rates in rural areas that favored Trump, the Atlanta metro-area counties that supported Biden still have larger voter populations. For instance, nearly 385,000 voters in Fulton County, 275,207 in Gwinnett County, and 271,426 in Cobb County have cast early in-person ballots.
While the spike in early voting in rural Georgia may indicate successful efforts by Trump and Republicans to energize their base, it could also impact the traditional interpretation of voter turnout dynamics. Analysts suggest that early voting trends do not necessarily predict the final election outcome, as both parties have varying strategies to mobilize their voters in the remaining days.
Overall, the early voting patterns in Georgia reflect a dynamic political landscape where rural areas are actively participating in the electoral process, potentially reshaping the narrative around voter turnout and party enthusiasm.
