(Rightallegiance.com) – Rural voters in Georgia are showing up to early voting sites at a faster rate than those in the traditionally Democratic urban and suburban counties that were instrumental in President Joe Biden’s victory in 2020. The latest data from Georgia’s election officials reveals that voters in rural counties are taking the lead in absentee and early in-person voting, outpacing several densely populated areas.
Among Georgia’s 159 counties, the 23 counties with the highest early voter turnout are areas that voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, according to state election data. This includes rural counties like Towns, Oconee, and Rabun, where early voting rates have surged to 69.06%, 65.51%, and 64.46%, respectively.
Towns County, in particular, stands out with an early turnout rate roughly 15 percentage points higher than the state’s county average, according to a report by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This elevated early voting turnout contrasts with suburban blue-leaning counties such as Cobb and Gwinnett, as well as the Democratic stronghold of Fulton County, which includes the city of Atlanta. As of the latest figures, 53.51% of active voters in Fulton County had cast their ballots before Election Day.
Georgia has seen unprecedented levels of early voting since the early voting period began on October 15, setting new records across the state. By Wednesday evening, state officials reported that over half of Georgia’s total active voters had already participated in the election through absentee or early in-person voting.
In several of the rural counties that heavily favored Trump in the previous election, turnout is already approaching total participation levels seen in 2020, according to current projections. While these rural areas are seeing notable enthusiasm, it is important to note that Atlanta-area counties, which are known for their Democratic leanings, are significantly larger in terms of voter population. For instance, in Fulton County alone, approximately 385,000 voters cast early in-person ballots, followed by 275,207 in Gwinnett County and 271,426 in Cobb County. In contrast, the small rural Towns County saw just under 7,000 residents cast their ballots during the early voting period.
Despite the disparity in population size, the elevated early turnout in rural parts of Georgia suggests that former President Trump and the Republican Party have succeeded in mobilizing their supporters in these traditionally conservative regions. This surge in early participation could potentially reshape common assumptions about voter behavior and election outcomes. Historically, early voting has tended to favor Democratic candidates, while Republicans have often relied on strong Election Day turnout to make up the difference. However, the current trends are challenging this conventional wisdom.
Dave Wasserman, an analyst with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, highlighted these evolving dynamics in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Wasserman noted that early voter turnout in some rural Republican counties was on track to match their total turnout in 2020, but cautioned against making definitive predictions about the final outcome based solely on these early numbers.
“It’s notable that a place like Towns Co. (Trump +61 in ’20) is at 92% of its final ’20 turnout, while Clayton Co. (Biden +71) is at 69% of its ’20 turnout,” Wasserman wrote. He added, “Doesn’t tell us who will win GA, just that Dems have more work to do than Rs to turn out their vote in the final days.”
The trend emerging from early voting in rural Georgia highlights the high level of engagement among conservative voters, suggesting that the GOP’s efforts to energize its base may be paying off. As Election Day approaches, both parties are ramping up efforts to get out the vote, with Democrats needing to mobilize urban and suburban voters to match the enthusiasm seen in the state’s rural areas.