You asked The Atlanta Journal-Constitution over 70 questions on topics you cared most about this election cycle.
And after three months of reporting and with just 24 hours until Georgia decides, we hope you’ve found our stories relevant, informative, and energizing.
Energized you were. A record 4 million Georgians cast ballots ahead of Election Day, highlighting one of the most consequential elections of a lifetime and Georgia’s crucial role in the 2024 presidential election. The questions you asked created space for our reporters to cover the facts and perspectives about foundational issues critical to your vote at the ballot box. It also opened the door to reporting we hadn’t quite thought about exploring.
Immigration and health were top of mind, while nearly 45% of the questions focused on housing and the economic track record of U.S. presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
Here are questions you asked and what we learned.
From Kelvin: Is it true that since 1989 under the same number of Presidents from each Party, that Democrats have produced fifty million jobs and Republicans one million? That’s somewhat accurate.
From Debbie: I would like to see an article that shows the truth comparing Trump versus Biden (Democrats vs. Republican) in economics during each of their terms. Debbie, here’s that article.
Barbara, AJC economics reporter Michael Kanell responded to your question on Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs and Caroline Silva published a deep dive into the crime rate among U.S. citizens and noncitizens.
The killing of Laken Riley on the University of Georgia campus became a new flashpoint in the national debate over illegal immigration. AJC immigration reporter, Lautaro Grinspan, took a close look at Trump and Harris’ immigration policies and the economic impact those plans could have in Georgia. The questions really came down to how much of your taxpayer money was being spent on immigration, and what percentage of that could be paying for the health care of undocumented immigrants.
One thing’s for sure: You are still paying for Medicaid under Obamacare, even though Georgia’s Gov. Kemp did not adopt the expanded program, AJC’s health policy reporter Ariel Hart explained.
And then there’s housing: Buying a home is harder than ever. AJC housing reporter Matt Reynolds explained why and looked into what Harris’ and Trump’s housing policies could mean for the housing crisis in Georgia. Take a look at this battleground county where the choice between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris could come down to this.
But most of all, you cared about the measures on the ballot. These initiatives could change how much you and small businesses pay in taxes and decide who would handle your tax complaints.
Your questions led to so many discoveries. The biggest lesson learned is that presidents don’t wield all the power when it comes to the matter of crime, housing, your health, immigration and the economy. But your vote can. Learn about the candidates and issues on your ballot. Follow live coverage of the election and meet the expert journalists covering Election Day in Georgia.
All in all, we hope we helped you Know Your Stuff ahead of casting your vote this election season. A special thanks to Mirtha Donastorg, Lautaro Grinspan, Ariel Hart, Michael E. Kannell, Matt Reynolds, and Caroline Silva who spent weeks investigating, making calls, and pulling pages of data to help answer your questions. And thank you for collaborating with us, sharing your experience, expertise, and questions to help build this trove of informative and actionable news.
Credit: Mike Luckovich/
Credit: Mike Luckovich/
