Early votes in one of the many battleground states in US elections, the state of Georgia, have been at a record high as most voters in that state have already made up their minds on most key issues and candidates. Through Wednesday, some 2.15 million of the state's 7.2 million active voters have voted early, according to Election Lab at the University of Florida and the Georgia Secretary of State reports, Xinhua cited.
The state of Georgia also experienced its first day of early voting, which runs until November 1 starting this October 15. This was with a record number of voters before the general election on November 5. Cost of living is the most critical issue among the voters although voters' preference does depend greatly on the population of both urban and rural communities.
Sedrick Hamner, who hails from the College Park area in the southwest side of Atlanta, says he voted for a candidate who would promote democracy. He firmly explained that kitchen table issues such as inflation, taxes, prices of goods, and stagnant wages really matter. "I used to be middle class, perhaps. Now, I'm probably closer to the lower class just due to inflation," said Hamner, who added that the US dollar doesn't stretch as far as it used to while wages remain stagnant. He said he can no longer afford to eat out or travel as much due to rising expenses.
Voter Nancy Goude of Molena, about 100 km south of Atlanta, said her change jars aren't as full as they used to be. "It takes everything we have to survive," she said. Goude said she wanted her grandchildren to have the same opportunities that she and her children had, and said that her whole family voted, even voting early this year.
According to Buckhead, Atlanta resident Romy Goldman, voting for her is predominantly for someone who will further the interests of the country while upholding human rights and women's rights. She decided based on her decision about voting early; hence, she voted in advance so that she could perform her volunteer work during an election cycle.
George Pilibosian, retired businessman, vote at Buckhead Library: The importance of individual rights over one's personal choices. "The government should not tell us what to do with our own bodies, whether you're a woman or a man," he said.
John Duncan, a retired painter of La Grange, which is about 112.6 km southwest of Atlanta, said the nation needs to secure the border for people not to enjoy life as they did in 2020. The new President, Duncan said, should focus on economic progress so that families will be able to afford necessities. As for his daily expenses, he said: "I have a family of six. It costs me a good 120 dollars a day to feed my family. That's hard to do when you are retired," he noted.
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