Georgia and North Carolina have started early in-person voting this week, with Georgia breaking its early voting turnout record. With legislative changes and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene impacting the voting experience, voters in these critical battleground states may face a different process.
In Georgia, over 188,000 votes were cast by 2 p.m. ET on the first day of early voting, signaling a strong voter turnout. New state laws in Georgia may make drop boxes less appealing, but early in-person voting options have expanded. Offering food or drinks to voters waiting in line has been restricted by a recent law, although some provisions have been challenged.
While Georgia aims for faster election results, new rules by the State Election Board have created uncertainty in the post-election process. In North Carolina, officials are grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, ensuring residents can still cast their ballots.
Both North Carolina and Georgia have implemented new voter restrictions and procedures, including voter ID requirements and the discontinuation of a grace period for mail-in ballots. Despite these changes, voters can still take their phones into polling places to look up information about candidates, with the exception of photographing ballots.
As early in-person voting begins in these key swing states, the focus shifts to ensuring a smooth and fair election process for all eligible voters.
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