DeKalb County saw about a 200 percent increase this year in its first week of in-person early voting compared to the same time period of the last midterm election, according to election data obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Last week 28,789 people — almost triple the amount who voted early in the 2014 midterm elections — cast early ballots. Four years ago, the county saw 9,623 early voters between Oct. 13 and Oct. 17.
Absentee ballot totals have already passed 2014 midterm totals. So far, DeKalb has received more than 9,000 absentee ballots. The county received more than 7,100 absentee ballots in 2014. To date, approximately 50,000 people have voted in DeKalb County this midterm election season.
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DeKalb’s high voter turnout may not be surprising since first-day early voter totals were nearing that of the historic 2018 election.
“It’s almost close to those numbers,” DeKalb County election director Erica Hamilton told The AJC last week.
The increased voter amount is likely due to the historical nature of the gubernatorial race pitting possibly the first black woman governor in Democrat Stacey Abrams against Republican and current Secretary of State Brian Kemp.
DeKalb voters have been a mixed bag with their candidate leanings.
Linda Jones, who lives in Lithonia said she’s voting for Abrams.
"I like the change she's trying to bring about," said Jones, particularly in her desire to expand Medicaid and her platform on education.
David Hannah, a Brookhaven resident, said he's voting for Kemp to maintain Republican values.
“Unfortunately, were getting to the point where we believe that government handing out money and redistributing it is going to be overall (in the) long term better for society and I don’t agree with that,” Hannah said.
Dissatisfied with candidates on both major tickets, Doraville resident T.J. Ramey said he’s voting for Libertarian candidate Ted Metz.
DeKalb residents will have more polling options Saturday when two more polling locations open in the county, in Tucker and Stonecrest.
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The breakdown of DeKalb in-person voters by day:
Monday, Oct. 15 - 5,227
Tuesday, Oct. 16 - 4,946
Wednesday, Oct. 17 - 4,783
Thursday, Oct. 18 - 4,877
Friday, Oct. 19 - 5,493
Saturday, Oct. 20 - 3,463
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