(ATLANTA) – Georgia voters have turned out in record numbers to vote during the state’s gold-standard three weeks of early in-person voting. As the November 3 general election approaches, Georgia continues to break records in absentee by mail voting and early, in-person voting.

“Georgia is a leader in election access,” said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “Notwithstanding the pandemic, voters in the Peach State can take advantage of no-excuse absentee ballot voting by mail or through a secure drop box; three weeks of early, in-person voting; or Election Day voting.”

Ballots Cast as of 5 p.m. on October 26, 2020

Total Number of Ballots Cast: 2,946,405

Total Number of Early, In-Person Ballots Cast Today: 149,053

Total Number of Early, In-Person Ballots Cast: 1,945,817

Total Number of Absentee By Mail Ballots Cast: 1,000,588

Ballots Cast as of Close of Polls on October 30, 2016

Total Number of Ballots Cast: 1,333,167

Total Number of Early, In-Person Ballots Cast: 1,205,088

Total Number of Absentee By Mail Ballots Cast: 128,079

Percent Increases*:

Percentage Increase in Total Turnout to Date: 106.6%

Percentage Increase in Total Early, In-Person Turnout to Date: 48.9%

Percentage Increase in Absentee By Mail Ballots Accepted to Date: 649%

*Percentage Increases Compare Close of Polls Data for the 14th Day of Early Voting in 2020 and 2016

Georgia is recognized as a national leader in elections. It was the first state in the country to implement the trifecta of automatic voter registration, at least 16 days of early voting (which has been called the “gold standard”), and no-excuse absentee voting. Georgia continues to set records for voter turnout and election participation, seeing the largest increase in average turnout of any other state in the 2018 midterm election and record primary turnout in 2020, with over 1.1 million absentee by mail voters and over 1.2 million in-person voters utilizing Georgia’s new, secure, paper ballot voting system.