‘Unprecedented’ early vote in Ga.’s 6th District, but what does it mean?

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

 http://www.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/unprecedented-early-vote-6th-district-but-what-does-mean/LT8LupjNhPCd80NZaxZLGP/

The eye-popping early-voting turnout in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District has left local elections officials gasping, although the surge’s effect on Tuesday’s runoff between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff remains uncertain.

More than 140,300 people had cast ballots by the end of the race’s early-voting period Friday, a total that includes both in-person early voters as well as returned absentee-by-mail ballots. That’s a 150 percent increase over the number of people who voted early ahead of the race’s original April 18 special election.

“It is unprecedented for this type of election to see this voter turnout for early voting,” said Richard Barron, the director of registration and elections in Fulton County, where more than 80,500 of those early ballots were cast.

That’s more than one-third of the county’s 216,000-plus registered voters who live in the 6th District, and it is by far the highest turnout among the three metro Atlanta counties — Cobb and DeKalb are the others — that have communities that fall within the district’s boundaries.

But election officials in the other two have also seen a turnout that DeKalb County Elections Director Maxine Daniels called “phenomenal for a special election.” DeKalb by early last week had seen about 25 percent of eligible voters turn out early, and it ended early voting Friday with more than 32,400 ballots cast.

In Cobb, meanwhile, Elections Director Janine Eveler said more than 23 percent of registered voters had been issued ballots during early voting for the runoff, with 27,381 votes cast as of Friday night.

The turnout ahead of the nationally watched race has surprised everyone. While typical turnout during off-year special elections is notoriously low, Georgia’s 6th District special election on April 18 (which decided who was in this month’s runoff) topped 37 percent — nearly 194,000 people voted. That’s a turnout more common for a midterm contest than a special election.

This time, in Round 2, many are expecting easily more than 200,000 voters — with some saying it will go even higher in a district that has about 530,000 registered voters in all.

The question now is how will it affect the final outcome.

In April, Ossoff won more of the early vote — and finished first overall with 48 percent of the vote — but Handel is seen as having won more of her votes on Election Day, as Republican voters likely held back in trying to parse among 11 GOP candidates in the original 18-person race. That’s a scenario not in play this time, with a number of pundits saying the runoff’s early vote indicates that the contest will be close. Polls have indicated the same.

 

 

[Dashinka 24,871]

So would this be considered meddling in an election by the media?  What is the point in this story as we will know what the outcome will be in two to three days.  One reason would be to try and suppress the voting day turnout of one side or the other.  

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

18 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

So would this be considered meddling in an election by the media?  What is the point in this story as we will know what the outcome will be in two to three days.  One reason would be to try and suppress the voting day turnout of one side or the other.  

We have never restricted reporting before an election before, why start now? 

[IAMX 3,055]

52 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

So would this be considered meddling in an election by the media?  What is the point in this story as we will know what the outcome will be in two to three days.  One reason would be to try and suppress the voting day turnout of one side or the other.  

Lefties tried meddling with the election results in December and January, harassing electors to not vote the way their state voted, and trying to fruitlessly obstruct the certification of the election. Only proof of meddling/hacking there is. Unsurprisingly, left dead silent about this.

[Dashinka 24,871]

54 minutes ago, IAMX said:

Lefties tried meddling with the election results in December and January, harassing electors to not vote the way their state voted, and trying to fruitlessly obstruct the certification of the election. Only proof of meddling/hacking there is. Unsurprisingly, left dead silent about this.

Yep, I suppose if the DNC was the entity attempting to hack the election that would have been just fine.

 

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

1 hour ago, IAMX said:

Lefties tried meddling with the election results in December and January, harassing electors to not vote the way their state voted, and trying to fruitlessly obstruct the certification of the election. Only proof of meddling/hacking there is. Unsurprisingly, left dead silent about this.

If the left did not exist what would you whine about? At least they give you a hobby.

[CaliCat 3,957]

11 hours ago, ccneat said:

 http://www.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/unprecedented-early-vote-6th-district-but-what-does-mean/LT8LupjNhPCd80NZaxZLGP/

The eye-popping early-voting turnout in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District has left local elections officials gasping, although the surge’s effect on Tuesday’s runoff between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff remains uncertain.

More than 140,300 people had cast ballots by the end of the race’s early-voting period Friday, a total that includes both in-person early voters as well as returned absentee-by-mail ballots. That’s a 150 percent increase over the number of people who voted early ahead of the race’s original April 18 special election.

“It is unprecedented for this type of election to see this voter turnout for early voting,” said Richard Barron, the director of registration and elections in Fulton County, where more than 80,500 of those early ballots were cast.

That’s more than one-third of the county’s 216,000-plus registered voters who live in the 6th District, and it is by far the highest turnout among the three metro Atlanta counties — Cobb and DeKalb are the others — that have communities that fall within the district’s boundaries.

But election officials in the other two have also seen a turnout that DeKalb County Elections Director Maxine Daniels called “phenomenal for a special election.” DeKalb by early last week had seen about 25 percent of eligible voters turn out early, and it ended early voting Friday with more than 32,400 ballots cast.

In Cobb, meanwhile, Elections Director Janine Eveler said more than 23 percent of registered voters had been issued ballots during early voting for the runoff, with 27,381 votes cast as of Friday night.

The turnout ahead of the nationally watched race has surprised everyone. While typical turnout during off-year special elections is notoriously low, Georgia’s 6th District special election on April 18 (which decided who was in this month’s runoff) topped 37 percent — nearly 194,000 people voted. That’s a turnout more common for a midterm contest than a special election.

This time, in Round 2, many are expecting easily more than 200,000 voters — with some saying it will go even higher in a district that has about 530,000 registered voters in all.

The question now is how will it affect the final outcome.

In April, Ossoff won more of the early vote — and finished first overall with 48 percent of the vote — but Handel is seen as having won more of her votes on Election Day, as Republican voters likely held back in trying to parse among 11 GOP candidates in the original 18-person race. That’s a scenario not in play this time, with a number of pundits saying the runoff’s early vote indicates that the contest will be close. Polls have indicated the same.

 

 

 

We could only wish turnout was this massive in every election.