Northwest Georgia elections officials are preparing for heavy voter turnout in the Senate runoff election Tuesday between incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.
The prediction is based on early voting turnout in the region that significantly lagged the statewide average, elections officials said, and the fact there's a shorter window for early voting in the runoff compared to the 2022 midterm election.
Statewide, 26.7% of voters cast ballots during early voting, compared to 25.3% in Catoosa -- the highest in the seven counties of Northwest Georgia -- and 18.9% in Walker County. Five of seven Northwest Georgia counties are in the bottom 22 of turnout percentage for the runoff election in Georgia's 159 counties, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's Office.
Tonya Moore, Catoosa County elections director, said the Senate runoff had only one week of early voting, compared to three weeks for the general election.
"It was busy the entire time, and we're expecting it to be busy the entire time (Tuesday)," she said.
(READ MORE: What to watch in Tuesday's Georgia Senate runoff election)
Danielle Montgomery, Walker County director of elections, said the county has enough machines and staff for the runoff, and officials are hoping to keep lines short. Rain is in the forecast for Tuesday, so in a phone interview she encouraged voters to bring an umbrella or a rain jacket -- in case they do have to wait in a line outside to vote.
(READ MORE: How Georgia's midterm runoff elections work)
Though she couldn't say for sure, Montgomery said county elections officials expect a big turnout Tuesday.
"For a runoff, yes, busy day," Montgomery said. "Is it going to be busier than the November election? It's so hard to say."
Both Montgomery and Moore said voters can find their voting precinct at the state's My Voter Page. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. statewide, elections officials said, and voters must have photo identification to vote.
More than 1.8 million Georgia voters have cast ballots, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's website. In November's general election, 3.9 million voted out of almost 7 million -- 57% of registered voters.
In a news release Sunday, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said Friday's total of 352,953 broke the previous one-day early voting record set during the 2016 presidential election when 252,715 voters cast their ballots.
Both Monday and Tuesday early voting topped 300,000 ballots cast, the release said, while Wednesday and Thursday broke the 2016 one-day early voting record and nearly reached 300,000.
In Chattooga County, chief registrar Sheena Weaver said the county had more than 3,000 ballots for early voting (3,208, according to the Secretary of State's Office), and she said officials expect another 3,000 for Tuesday's runoff.
"Especially for a runoff, that's a pretty good turnout," Weaver said in a phone interview.
In Chattooga County, 22.4% of registered voters voted early.
Whitfield County had the second lowest percentage of voter turnout for early voting statewide at 15.8%. County Elections Supervisor Mary Hammontree could not be reached for comment before deadline.
Dade County's early voting turnout was 19.1%, Murray County's was 18.6% and Gordon County's 21.2%.
In a phone interview late last month, Charles Bullock, a University of Georgia political science professor, said it can be difficult for campaigns to turn out voters in stand-alone runoff election.
Even in the 2021 runoff that decided the majority in the U.S. Senate, there was a 10% drop off after the 2020 general election, Bullock said, while Senate runoffs after 1992 and 2008 general elections saw a 40% reduction in voters between the general election and runoff.
The candidates had last-minute efforts to mobilize their base. Warnock planned a get-out-the-vote event with union organizers in Atlanta, a rally for students at Georgia Tech, a stop with the rapper Killer Mike and a final send-off in Atlanta, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Walker went to a diner in Flowery Branch early Monday, and he was to get one last push from former President Donald Trump, who was planning a tele-rally for him Monday night. Walker also planned his final event at the Governors Gun Club in Kennesaw.
GEORGIA VOTING INFORMATION
Poll hours: Georgia polls operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voter ID: Georgia residents must show a valid photo ID when voting in person. Acceptable forms of voter identification include a Georgia driver's license or a U.S. passport. The state of Georgia also offers a free voter ID card, which can be issued at any county board of registrar's office and can be used to vote. A state driver's license can be used even if expired. Voters can also use any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID. Other valid ID includes photo ID issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the U.S. government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of Georgia. That includes a valid student ID from a Georgia public college or university or tribal ID.
More info: For more information about Georgia voting visit https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-voting#Election%20Day%20Voting and https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/.
ELECTION COMMISSION PHONE NUMBERS
Catoosa County Elections & Voter Registration: 706-935-3990
Chattooga County Registrars Office: 706-857-0739
Dade County Board of Elections and Registration: 706-657-8170
Gordon County Board of Elections & Voter Registration: 706-629-7781
Murray County Board of Elections: 706-517-1400, extension 7
Walker County Board of Elections & Registration: 706-638-4349
Whitfield County Board of Elections and Registrar: 706-278-7183
Contact Andrew Wilkins at awilkins@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6659. Follow him on Twitter @tweetatwilkins.