Ossoff, Bottoms sweep races at top of ticket as Democrats roll in GA

Mike Collins responds to loss on social media

Ryne Dennis

Mike Collins took to X Tuesday night following his projected Senate loss to Jon Ossoff.

"Thank you to every Georgian who trusted me with their vote and poured their hearts into this campaign," his Tweet read.

"We left it all on the road, and I'd do every mile of it again.

"Thank you, Georgia!"

Penny Brown Reynolds projected to win Secretary of State

Ryne Dennis

Penny Brown Reynolds was congratulated on X Tuesday night by Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, who said "Georgia has a new Secretary of State! Congratulations to my friend Judge Penny Brown Reynolds on your historic win!" Warnock said.

Brown Reynolds defeated Republican Tim Fleming, NBC News projected. She led the race 55.61% to 44.39% with 156 of 159 reporting late Tuesday.

Josh McLaurin wins Georgia Lieutenant Governor

Ryne Dennis

Republican Greg Dolezal said Tuesday night on X that he conceded the Georgia Lieutenant Governor's race to Democrat Josh McLaurin.

McLaurin led 55.81% to 44.19% with 156 of 159 counties reporting results as of 10:30 p.m. ET, according to the Secretary of State's Office.

Ossoff takes the stage in Atlanta

Irene Wright

"Georgia, you did it," Ossoff started his remarks in a downtown Atlanta hotel. "And let me be the first to offer public congratulations to the governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms."

Ossoff thanked the crowd for their continued investment in him and his campaign, acknowledging his campaign team, his family and the voters.

"In sweeping and decisive victories, the American people have rebuked the depravity, corruption, and incompetence of the failed President Donald Trump."

"Amidst our celebration tonight, we must acknowledge that the underlying crisis gripping our republic remains, and that therefore our most vital work lies ahead. Because while the wealthy and well lobbied feast on inside information and official favors, America's forgotten families are treated to systemic corporate disrespect and official indifference, working harder and harder while the treadmill just gets faster and steeper, and the bills get higher and higher."

Ossoff continued the message he brought on the campaign trail during his victory speech in Atlanta.

The Senator called the current administration corrupt and said he would continue to take on corporations and "titans" who take advantage of Americans.

"Never doubt that unity is possible," Ossoff said, thanking the Republican leaders and voters across the state who reached across the ballot for him on Election Day.

Ossoff quoted the late John Lewis, a former mentor of Ossoff early in his career, and called for Georgians to be "united" behind both of their Democratic Senators and soon behind the governor-elect, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Georgia Election Results

Miguel Legoas

• U.S. Senate: Jon Ossoff (D-Incumbent) defeats Mike Collins (R) | Projected by NBC News and DDHQ
• Governor: Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) defeats Rick Jackson (R) | Projected by NBC News and DDHQ
• U.S. House Rep. District 2: Sanford Bishop (D-Incumbent) defeats Matt Day (R) | Projected by AP and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 3: Brian Jack (R-Incumbent) defeats Maura Keller (D) | Projected by CNN and AP
• U.S. House Rep. District 4: Henry "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-Incumbent) defeats Jim Duffie (R) | Projected by NBC News and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 5: Nikema Williams (D-Incumbent) defeats John "Bongo" Salvesen (R) | Projected by NBC News and AP
• U.S. House Rep. District 6: Lucy McBath (D-Incumbent) defeats Kevin E. Martin (R) | Projected by NBC News and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 8: Austin Scott (R-Incumbent) defeats Kelly Esti (D) | Projected by AP and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 9: Andrew Clyde (R-Incumbent) defeats Caitlyn Gegen (D) | Projected by CNN and AP
• U.S. House Rep. District 13: Jasmine Clark (D) defeats Jonathan Chavez (R) | Projected by CNN and ABC News

Keisha Lance Bottoms wins Georgia Governor

Ryne Dennis

Keisha Lance Bottoms has defeated Rick Jackson to be Georgia's next Governor, NBC News and Decision Desk HQ project.

Bottoms joins Senator Jon Ossoff as strong Democratic wins at the top of Georgia's ballot in the 2026 midterms. She'll succeed 8-year Governor Brian Kemp.

Bottoms led Jackson 55.59% to 44.41% at 9:15 p.m. when the race was called, according to the Secretary of State's office.

Jon Ossoff to give winning speech at 9:30

Ryne Dennis

Jon Ossoff's campaign manager confirmed to USA TODAY that Ossoff will give his acceptance speech at 9:30 p.m.

Ossoff was projected to remain in his Georgia senate seat and holds a 60.49% to 39.51% lead against Mike Collins with 130 of 159 counties reporting, according to the Secretary of State's office.

Election results so far in Georgia

Ryne Dennis and Miguel Legoas

Here are the current projected wins in the state.

• U.S. Senate: Jon Ossoff (D-Incumbent) defeats Mike Collins (R) | Projected by NBC and DDHQ
• U.S. House Rep. District 2: Sanford Bishop (D-Incumbent) defeats Matt Day (R) | Projected by AP and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 4: Henry "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-Incumbent) defeats Jim Duffie (R) | Projected by NBC and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 5: Nikema Williams (D-Incumbent) defeats John "Bongo" Salvesen (R) | Projected by NBC and AP
• U.S. House Rep. District 6: Lucy McBath (D-Incumbent) defeats Kevin E. Martin (R) | Projected by NBC and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 8: Austin Scott (R-Incumbent) defeats Kelly Esti (D) | Projected by AP and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 9: Andrew Clyde (R-Incumbent) v. Caitlyn Gegen (D) | Projected by CNN and AP
• U.S. House Rep. District 13: Jasmine Clark (D) defeats Jonathan Chavez (R) | Projected by CNN and ABC

Follow Georgia's most important races HERE.

LOOK: Supporters celebrate Jon Ossoff win at Democrat HQ in Atlanta

Ryne Dennis

Bottoms 'running well ahead' of predictions

Irene Wright

Bernard Fraga, a political science professor and researcher at Emory University, said while it is still early in the night, Keisha Lance Bottoms has promising numbers.

"Keisha Lance Bottoms is running well ahead of what the polls said, even accounting for the Democratic lean of the early vote. Ossoff-Jackson split ticket voters are a factor, but outside of Buckhead there is less defection than what polling data predicted," Fraga said.

Bottoms is running against Republican healthcare CEO Rick Jackson, who has been endorsed by Gov. Brian Kemp and President Donald Trump.

"I give Bottoms a >95% chance of winning, projecting she gets 54-56% of the vote by the end of the night," Fraga said.

Results called in a few Georgia US House seats

Ryne Dennis

These seats were projected early Tuesday night:

• U.S. House Rep. District 4: Henry "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-Incumbent) defeats Jim Duffie (R) | Projected by NBC and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 5: Nikema Williams (D-Incumbent) defeats John "Bongo" Salvesen (R) | Projected by NBC and AP
• U.S. House Rep. District 6: Lucy McBath (D-Incumbent) defeats Kevin E. Martin (R) | Projected by NBC and CNN
• U.S. House Rep. District 13: Jasmine Clark (D) defeats Jonathan Chavez (R) | Projected by CNN and ABC

Jon Ossoff to hold Senator seat in Georgia

Ryne Dennis

Ossoff will hold his seat as a Georgia US Senator, CNN and Decision Desk HQ projected early Tuesday night.

US House 5, US House 13 races called

Ryne Dennis

Democrats Nikema Williams and Jasmine Clark are expected to claim US House seats 5 and 13, respectively.

Incumbent Williams defeats John "Bongo" Salvesen while Clark defeats Jonathan Chavez.

Clark's race was projected by CNN and ABC News while Williams is projected by NBC News and AP.

Polls are closed in Georgia

Ryne Dennis

Polls have closed in Georgia, with more than 1 million voters having casted ballots on Election Day.

There were nearly 2.8 million early votes cast in the weeks leading up to Election Day, breaking records in the state.

If you are in line when 7 p.m. hits, remain in line as you are still allowed to vote.

Scenes around Augusta

Ryne Dennis

Christine Smith was telling everyone on Tuesday who she voted for.

The Augusta resident was hard to miss, holding a sign for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms in front of the polling place at National Hills Baptist Church on Washington Road.

Like many other Georgians, Smith voted early.

"Voted for Jon Ossoff, too," she said of the U.S. Senate incumbent.

By the time sprinkles of rain began falling Tuesday afternoon, Smith had been waving at incoming voters and other passing motorists for about nine hours.

First time voter!

Joe Hotchkiss

"First-time voter!" a poll worker shouted, sparking cheers at the Columbia County School District's Transportation Department in Evans on Tuesday afternoon.

By about 4 p.m., almost 400 voters had come through. Polling manager Darleen Holland said she was expecting at least 2,000 before the station closed at 7 p.m., based on the number of the precinct's registered voters.

"It's been like a stream of people coming in at various times," she said. "But they're going to increase pretty soon as people get off of work."

This is Holland's first time working at the polling place on River Watch Parkway in Augusta. She formerly worked at the Grace Baptist Church polling place on Hardy McManus Road.

"At Grace Baptist, they always have a flood of people," she said. "Here, this is different."

Voters outside Savannah give reasons for voting

Ryne Dennis

At Church of Christ on Highway 30 in Guyton, longtime Effingham County resident Tori Winston said he has seen the landscape of the county change over the last 36 years and said he came out on Election Day because “something needs to change.”

Caitlin Garner just moved from Texas and said she was eager to cast her vote being a new resident of the state.

“We recently moved to Georgia so I am excited to take part in this election cycle,” she said. “Being a member of the Effingham County Chamber has helped me get a feel for what is on the ballot."

The poll manager said more than 500 voters came through in the early morning hours and it took 45 minutes to get the line down when the doors opened at 7 a.m.

Voting moves smoothly in Athens, Oconee County on Election Day

Wayne Ford

Voting in Athens and Oconee County appeared to be going well on election day.

Shortly after 3 p.m., outside the poll at Milledge Avenue Baptist Church, Athens resident Liam Smith said it took only about five minutes to cast a vote.

Another couple, who identified themselves only as Laura and Julio, said they waited until election day simply because of the timing.

“I have terrible time management strategies. I always end up voting at the last minute,” she said.

“I was discouraged by all the numerous unwanted telephone calls, emails and text messages,” Julio said. ”I kept pushing it back, because I wasn’t ready to make a decision until the very day of. ... We’re here and we’re going to exercise our civic duty."

In Oconee County, there were lines during morning hours at the Oconee Civic Center, where polls have been consolidated to a central location with numerous voting booths.

While there was a constant flow of people during the morning hours, the average time to cast a vote was only about 15 minutes.

When do polls close in Georgia?

Ryne Dennis

It's an hour until polls close in Georgia. If in line at 7 p.m. you can remain in line to cast your ballot.

Residents wave signs for local, state midterm elections

Katie Goodale

Why one Effingham County resident feels the urge to vote

Latrice Williams

Effingham County resident Willie Lovine said he wants to see change at every level of office this election cycle.

“I had a buddy of mine tell me he isn’t voting,” said Lovine. “I told him you have to. We are truck drivers. Deisel is $6 a gallon. If you vote that might change.”

How many Georgians will split their ballots?

Irene Wright

At the Robert E. Fulton Library in Johns Creek, Georgia, multiple voters told USA TODAY they split their ballot at the top of the ticket.

The north Fulton County residents said they were voting for Republicans down the ballot, but would be voting for incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff for U.S. Senate.

The voters pointed to the ongoing controversies surrounding the Republican candidate, Rep. Mike Collins, as one reason they were skipping his name on Tuesday. Collins has been embroiled in multiple white nationalist accusations and a House ethics investigation.

The voters also said they liked what they saw from Ossoff during his first term, and that they believed he had not done anything to warrant his removal from office.

North Fulton, which includes the northern suburbs of Atlanta, is a key region that both candidates will need to win in order to take the Senate seat.

Turnout so far in Chatham County

Evan Lasseter

There has been 22,677 ballots cast in Chatham County as of 1:20 p.m., according to Chatham County Elections Supervisor Billy Wooten.

In the 2022 midterm election, the county saw 48,645 ballots cast on election day.

Trump posts Election Day-endorsements for Georgia

Miguel Legoas

President Donald Trump has been campaigning for Rick Jackson and Mike Collins, and did so again with a new social media post for each of them. He called Jackson “A very successful businessman and entrepreneur, and will be a tremendous governor. He is a fantastic person who everyone is very proud of, as am I.”

Trump also called Collins a very successful businessman as well as “A highly respected congressman who has been with me from the very beginning.”

He went on to call Keisha Lance Bottoms and Jon Ossoff “reckless, radical, and dangerous” and claimed they both want “massive tax Increases, open borders, men playing in women's sports.”

Raffensperger projects large turnout on Election Day in Georgia

Ryne Dennis and Irene Wright

In a morning press conference, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said there were 300,686 Georgians who had voted by 10 a.m. on Election Day.

He forecast that if you multiply that by the amount of time remaining in the day to vote (ending at 7 p.m.) there would be around 1.2 million voters on election day in Georgia.

Added to early voting totals, that put Georgia well over 3 million voters that had already cast ballots.

Early voting in Georgia ran from Oct. 13 to Oct. 30, and turnout set a new record for the Peach State.

In total, 2,827,060 Georgians submitted their ballots early, whether in person or by mailing in a ballot. Early voting accounted for 37.5% of Georgia's total voting population.

Fuller hopes to remain seated in Georgia 14th, former MTG seat

Vanessa Johns

U.S. Rep. Clay Fuller, who represents Georgia's 14th Congressional District, urged voters to head to the polls Tuesday in a social media post framing the election as a choice between "Communism vs. Common Sense."

"Get out and VOTE. Make your voice heard," Fuller wrote. He also reminded voters that polls are open until 7 p.m.

Fuller, a Republican from Lookout Mountain, is seeking election to a full term representing the northwest Georgia district after winning the April special election to fill the seat previously held by Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Keisha Lance Bottoms could make American history with win Tuesday

Irene Wright

Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta and the Democratic nominee for governor in Georgia, could make history on Tuesday.

Bottoms would become the first Black female governor in America.

Georgia Democrats have tried to hit the benchmark before. Stacey Abrams, also a Black woman, ran against Gov. Brian Kemp in 2018 and 2022, losing by an incredibly thin margin.

And Bottoms' race is equally close. In polls just days and weeks before election day, Bottoms was in a statistical tie with Republican Rick Jackson, a healthcare CEO, self-made billionaire and Trump-endorsed candidate.

Early voting turnout has looked promising for the Democratic ticket in Georgia as the Atlanta metro and minority voters have had strong numbers, but Republicans tend to save their votes for election day, meaning the race is still anyone's game.

There have only been three Black governors, and they have all been men. L. Douglas Wilder was elected in Virginia in the early 90s, becoming the first Black governor ever. Deval Patrick was later elected as the governor of Maryland, and Wes Moore followed in his footsteps and was elected governor of Maryland in 2022 where he currently serves.

Election issues, scam texts in Fulton County

Miguel Legoas

Atlanta-area voters are having to deal with at least a couple issues in the start of its Election Day, and both are technical.

Fulton County Government posted a message on its social media platforms around 11 a.m. that some voters have received texts about polling place changes, causing confusion. Those texts were not sent by the district and local voters should verify their polling place for themselves at mvp.sos.ga.gov or by calling (404) 612-7020.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also reported in a press conference that approximately 1,000 ballots from early voting in Fulton County will have to be rescanned due to equipment issues. Raffensperger said this will not affect the timeliness of the day’s vote counts.

Voters compare current times to 'Civil War era' in Augusta

Jennifer Miller

LaRue and Marsha Downing of Augusta cast their votes Tuesday morning at Covenant Presbyterian Church on Walton Way.

The retired Episcopal Priest said he was surprised there weren’t more voters.

“We just cannot sustain this kind of political division. I’m disappointed in the current administration for what they have done and haven’t done and the absolute inaction of Congress,” he said. “This country was founded on checks and balances, and there’s been no evidence of that. That absolutely has to change.”

Downing compared this time in U.S. political history to the Civil War era. 

“The democracy endured in even more challenging times than these," he said. 

Voting was steady in the morning at Covenant Presbyterian, according to Poll Manager Lee Carter. At about 10:30 a.m., the precinct had seen 239 voters, he said.

“That’s one person a minute,” he said. 

Carter said he expects about 800 to 900 people to vote in-person before polls close.

Savannah mayor encourages voters, says to 'expect a free, fair and secure' election

Evan Lasseter

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson held his weekly press briefing Tuesday, and he made sure to encourage voters to exercise their right to vote.

Johnson also noted that the mayor is in charge of the Savannah Police Department on election day, and he directed SPD place special attention on city polling locations to "ensure a safe and orderly voting process."

"We do not anticipate any problems. We expect our election to be free, fair and secure," he said. 

Johnson also reflected on the significant attention Coastal Georgia received during the campaign season. Johnson said he was pleased that nominees from both parties in the Senate and governor's race made campaign stops in the city. 

He added the continued attention Savannah receives during election season is a sign that candidates recognize Metro Atlanta "is not the only place in Georgia. 

"The reality is that Savannah and Coastal Georgia matter. We represent a significant voting bloc," he said. 

"You cannot win without Savannah and coastal Georgia showing up."

New Georgia voting sticker; Voter casts in-person ballot for first time since 1990

Richard Burkhart

GA 14's Shawn Harris won't run again if defeated Tuesday

Irene Wright

Shawn Harris, a retired brigadier general and cattle farmer running for the U.S. House in Georgia's 14th congressional district, said he will not run for the seat again if defeated on election day Tuesday.

Harris' name has been on the ballot half a dozen times after he was recruited to run against Marjorie Taylor Greene in the deep-red district of northwest Georgia. The former congresswoman put the district on the national radar through her rhetoric and eventual falling out with President Trump. Harris most recently lost the special election runoff to fill Greene's seat following her resignation at the beginning of the year.

Harris has closed the gap for Democrats over the course of his many campaigns, losing to now Rep. Clay Fuller by less than 10 points, the best performance ever for a Democrat in Georgia 14.

"If the good Lord says that tomorrow night is not our night, then it's time for me to step back, figure out what's next," Harris told USA TODAY on Monday. "If that's just being a farmer, great. If that means I do something else in the future, but at least I'll have put the steps in place for whoever wants to run behind me to move it forward."

Harris said despite never winning a seat in Congress, he still sees his campaigns and work in the district as wins.

"I want to win. I believe we're going to win, but I think we have won a lot of things," Harris said.

The singing voter in Savannah

Latrice Williams and Stephanie Castellano

Longtime Twickenham resident Kenny Denmark feels it’s his duty to vote—and to sing while doing so.

When Poll Manager Lance Wilhelm asked him for a song as he entered the polling station at Christ Community Church on Savannah’s east side, he promptly obliged.

“I’ve got sunshiiiine on a cloudyyy day,” he warbled, doing full justice to the Temptation’s 1964 hit.By 10am there had been 155 votes cast at the Christ’s Community Church location—a usually high number, said Wilhelm.

The polling station had a neighborly feel, with voters greeting one another and Denmark’s soft strains occasionally wafting through the voting area.

“It’s our patriotic duty to vote,” said his wife Carol, who said she didn’t feel comfortable talking about the issues most important to her in this election. But the couple noted that it was nice to see people gathering at the church, which they said used to be a prominent gathering place in the community, but has struggled with attendance in recent years.

— Stephanie Castellano

Other polls around Savannah

It’s been a slow morning at the Rincon Church of God voting precinct as almost 50 people have cast their ballot between 7-8:30 a.m.

At just 23 years old, Zion Chandler said she understands the significance of voting and said this year has been a reality check for young people.

“If you don’t vote nothing will change,” said Chandler. “We have to live with the decision we made - we have to take our responsibility to vote serious.”

A look around Georgia on Election Day

Ryne Dennis, Katie Goodale and Richard Burkhart

Marjorie Taylor Greene continues attack of President Donald Trump

Ryne Dennis and Vanessa Johns

Former Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene continued voicing her disappointment of Donald Trump and a majority of Republicans Monday night during an appearance on CNN.

It continued a months-long social media onslaught of criticism where she has spoken harshly of Trump for gas prices, the war in Iran and not releasing the Epstein Files.

Greene said recently that Trump does not understand how poorly she believes he is doing in Georgia and accused him of threatening the state by saying he could refuse to help lawmakers he does not like.

"He has no idea how bad he is doing in GA," Greene wrote on X. "And to threaten our state that he would refuse to help the good people of Georgia just because he doesn't like who calls him shows how much he really doesn't care."

That came shortly after she called MAGA an 'ugly grotesque cult'.

Slow start in Augusta

Jennifer Miller

Election Day started slowly on Tuesday at the Columbia County Board of Education voting poll site in the suburbs of Augusta. 

By 9:30 a.m., only 62 voters had cast their ballots, said Poll Manager Justin Patchan. 

The precinct usually has about a 30% turnout rate, and after early voting, there were about 1,500 voters who hadn’t cast their vote, he said.

What he noticed most about the morning voters was how quickly they completed their ballot.

“There’s not a whole lot of indecision" among those voters, he said.

What's on voters' minds at the polls in Georgia?

Stephanie Castellano and Evan Lasseter

Savannah resident Alan Mitchell has voted at First Presbyterian Church on Washington Avenue since 1994. He cast another ballot there Tuesday morning.

Mitchell said the economy, corruption and the Iran War were motivators in voting this year.

Mitchell added that the flow of people at First Presbyterian seemed slightly higher than usual. Mitchell hopes turnout will be high on the day.

"It's our civic duty. You can't complain if you don't vote," he said.

— Evan Lasseter

'Heading toward socialism' 'Gas and groceries too high'

A steady trickle of voters followed the morning rush at the Cathedral Church of Christ polling station. Sixty ballots had been cast by 8am, said Poll Manager Gina Caraviello.

Some voters leaving the building after casting their ballots said they were concerned the country was headed toward socialism.

Some also said they don’t typically vote in midterm elections.

“I’ve been bad in the past about voting in midterms,” said Michelle Gustwick, who said the Georgia governors’ race brought her out to vote. “This is the first time in a long time.”

At Poll Manager Jeanette Jenkins Cooper’s last count around 9am, 123 ballots had been cast so far at the Jewish Educational Alliance polling station. Cooper has been the JEA polling station’s manager since 2012, and before that she volunteered at other locations.

There were people waiting to vote when they opened the doors at 7am, she said, and since then it’s been a steady flow.

Early Election Day in Savannah

Latrice Williams and Evan Lasseter

Residents casting their ballot at Rincon Church of God might hear some familiar sounds off in the distance.The tunes come from DJ Tezzy’s turntable as she played a variety of music to get voters excited about Election Day.

DJ Tezzy is just one of many voters deployed to different precincts by DJ at the Polls, a nonpartisan group whose mission is to help bring out more people to cast their ballot.

“We just want to create good vibes,” said DJ Tezzy, whose real name is Shanta Crawford. “We are not here to push a certain agenda. It’s important that we can become one. It’s not about race or party. We want people to get out and let your voice be heard.”

DJ Tezzy will travel to Statesboro and Savannah later today, bringing more than 65,000 songs across all genres for voters to sing and dance along to.

“I’ve heard people tell me they don’t feel like there are good candidates in this election, so we hope that some good music will bring people out today.”

— Latrice Williams

Voting at Savannah's busiest precinct

First Presbyterian Church on Washington Avenue had about 160 ballots cast through an hour of voting Thursday.The voting location is one of Savannah's largest of registered voters.

Poll Manager Katherine Simmons said there has been a steady stream of voters since a big rush when polls opened at 7 a.m.

"We got to 50 (ballots cast) really fast," she said.

Why one Democrat in NW Georgia isn't giving up

Irene Wright

Shawn Harris, a retired Brigadier General and Democratic candidate for Georgia's 14th congressional district, has been on the ballot seven times. He has also lost seven times.

He first ran against Marjorie Taylor Greene more than three years ago, and he has spent much of his time since slowly driving up Democratic support in each election in a once strong Republican district.

Harris lost a special election for Greene's seat earlier this year against now-Representative Clay Fuller, but he lost by the closest margin of any Democrat in the district's history.

USA TODAY spoke with Harris on Monday, as he geared up for election day, to ask what keeps him motivated to stay on the ballot.

"What keeps me motivated is when I'm out knocking on doors, I do it myself. I have volunteers, I got people helping me, but I'm actually out there knocking on doors. I love the fact when I knock on the door and it's a Democrat and before I can even say my name, they're already hugging me and want to take a picture. That's awesome. I also love the fact that when I knock on the door and as an Independent, they want to ask me a specific question, and usually that specific question is talking about the economy, or talking about the cost of living, or talking about this war," Harris said. "And then I tell you what I actually love. I love when I knock on the door as a Democrat, and I know I'm knocking on the door of a Republican, and I can have a conversation. We can both agree that we don't agree on everything, but we agree on certain things."

Early voting sets record numbers in Clarke, Oconee Counties around Athens, Georgia

Ryne Dennis and Wayne Ford

The highly anticipated Nov. 3 General Election produced a record number of early voters during October in both Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties.

Athens-Clarke County Voter Registration Director Pamela Long said Monday that workers are preparing the voting polls for Tuesday. The polls opened across the state at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

“Everything is in place and ready to go. We’re actually delivering equipment to all of our 24 locations,” Long said.

In Athens, the advance voting count tallied at 28,129, while by the end of Friday there were 1,438 mail-in ballots returned. Those are still coming in. Voting records show that the early vote for Tuesday is higher than the general primary vote on May 19 in Athens, when 26,067 people cast votes in Athens-Clarke County.

The governor’s race is a major statewide race, and both candidates recently touched base with supporters in the Athens area. GOP nominee Rick Jackson made an appearance in Watkinsville last Thursday and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms was scheduled for a brief appearance Monday in Athens.

In Oconee County, the Elections and Registration Office reported there were 15,673 advance votes and by Friday there were 728 absentee votes registered.

This election is almost void of local political contests. The major races in Athens were settled in the spring, including the race for mayor when Dexter Fisher was elected to that post.

In Oconee County, two county commission seats and two school board seats are open, but the candidates are unopposed. In the Watkinsville City Council races, three seats are open, but only Post 4 is contested between incumbent Christine Tucker and challenger Scott Brannon.

Where are election monitors in Georgia

Ryne Dennis

The DOJ officially announced what counties poll monitors will be in, as it ramps up its presence in all 50 states.

The counties where poll watchers will be in Georgia have leaned Democratic in the past few elections. Those counties are:

• Cobb
• DeKalb
• Fulton
• Gwinnett
• Chatham
• Bibb

“Election integrity has been one of the top priorities for this Administration and this Division,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. “I am very proud we are deploying the largest monitoring effort in DOJ history, and pursuing transparency for elections in an assertive and nondiscriminatory manner.”

The DOJ says election monitors will be "checking for compliance with the federal voting rights statutes that fall within the jurisdiction of the Division."

What to know about Election Day in Augusta, Georgia

Ryne Dennis and Joe Hotchkiss

Midterm elections seldom attract this much attention.

Growing dissatisfaction with national issues such as consumer prices, the economy, and affordable housing is energizing an electorate anxious for change. The Republicans' thin majority on Capitol Hill has shone a brighter spotlight on several congressional races, such as Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Collins challenging Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff for the latter's Senate seat.

That energy is also sparking activity in state and local races in Georgia. Republican billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson and Democratic former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms are fighting to win the governor's office. Control of the Georgia Public Service Commission carries added weight because the elected board members' oversight of utilities is expected to influence the controversial development of data centers, whose opponents say will drive up consumers' power and water bills.

Polls open across the state at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

The Augusta area's Georgia General Assembly delegation includes Democrats challenging Republican incumbents for three of the area's seven state House seats and two of the three state Senate seats. In Richmond County, 13 candidates are jockeying for four nonpartisan seats on the Richmond County Board of Education.

Columbia County, traditionally a Republican stronghold, is having its Board of Commissioners' chairman seat and two commission seats challenged by Democrats, who in recent years have flipped some traditionally red voting precincts to blue in the Grovetown area.

State amendments up for votes propose doubling to 4.000 acres the amount of land allowable as conservation property; allowing nonpartisan elections for probate judges; and creating a state fund to digitally upgrade 911 systems.

Republicans fear a 'demotivated base,' NBC's Steve Kornacki says

Irene Wright

Early voting in Georgia has far exceeded the turnout from 2022, and with early voting tending to lean Democratic, Republicans are now hoping they can turn out the base on election day.

"The concern a lot of Republicans have, especially in (states Trump won), is just a demotivated base or a base that's not eager to turn out when Trump's name isn't on the ballot," Steve Kornacki, NBC's Chief Data Analyst, told USA TODAY in an interview last week.

Kornacki said he's wary to put too much on the early turnout data, given that it will always be incomplete without the votes on election day, but the numbers do point to a larger trend.

"Broadly, I do think in Georgia and elsewhere, the early vote confirms what we've seen the last year and a half in special elections, in primary turnout, that a big chunk of the Democratic base is super super motivated to participate," Kornacki said. "So you offer them the chance to vote a couple weeks ahead of time, they are most likely to say yes, they're going to do it. But again, that doesn't mean Republicans won't end up matching it on Election Day."

Viewers can catch Kornacki at the Big Board throughout NBC News’ Election Night coverage on Nov. 3, beginning at 5 p.m. ET, and follow his behind-the-scenes “Kornacki Cam” livestream starting at 5:30 p.m. ET on YouTube, NBCNews.com and more.

Polls are open in Georgia

Ryne Dennis

Georgia precincts are now open and will remain that way until 7 p.m.

They opened at 7 a.m. across the state and will remain open for anyone waiting in line before they close.

These are things to do to prepare to cast your vote today, according to the Georgia.gov:

• Register to vote. Eligible Georgians can register to vote through the Secretary of State’s Office. Check if you are eligible and submit a voter registration application before the deadline. Additionally, please check whether your voter registration is active on the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
• Have a valid photo identification (ID). Georgia residents must show a valid photo ID when voting in person. Acceptable forms of voter identification include a 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.
• Find the next election. View a list of upcoming elections and voter registration deadlines on the Secretary of State’s election calendar.
• Request voter assistance if you need it. If you require special assistance to vote or to access your polling place, contact your County Board of Registrar's Office for help.
• Update your information. If you move, you must file a notice of your new address in writing to your County Board of Registrar's Office or submit a new voter registration application.

Senator Raphael Warnock says Democratic control goes through the South

Irene Wright

How many Georgians voted early?

Irene Wright

Early voting in Georgia ran from Oct. 13 to Oct. 30, and turnout set a new record for the Peach State.

In total, 2,827,060 Georgians submitted their ballots early, whether in person or by mailing in a ballot. Early voting accounted for 37.5% of Georgia's total voting population.

Turnout was highest in the greater Atlanta metro area where early voting topped 40% of the voting population in some counties.

Early voting was also high in Towns County, Oconee County, Greene County, Union County and others.

Early voting was lowest in the Middle Georgia rural counties.

There was also higher turnout among minorities voters, with 837,081 Black voters, 252,017 unidentified non-white voters, 82,305 Hispanic/Latino voters and 68,264 Asian/Pacific Islander voters casting their ballots early.

Early voting data is considered "unofficial," and tracked by the Georgia Secretary of State Election Data Hub.

Rick Jackson makes final plea to Georgia voters

Irene Wright

Obama headlines rally for Ossoff, Bottoms outside Atlanta

Irene Wright

What's at stake today in Georgia?

Ryne Dennis and Miguel Legoas

Five major elections take place across all Georgia ballots Tuesday while all 14 U.S. Representative seats in the House are also on ballots.

These are the five major races we're watching today in Georgia:

• U.S. Senate:Jon Ossoff (D-Incumbent) v. Mike Collins (R)
• Governor:Rick Jackson (R) v. Keisha Lance Bottoms (D)
• Lieutenant Governor: Greg Dolezal (R) v. Josh McLaurin (D)
• Secretary of State: Tim Fleming (R) v. Penny Brown Reynolds (D)
• Attorney General: Brian Strickland (R) v. Tanya Miller (D)

Races for Georgia's 14 US House seats

• U.S. House Rep. District 1: James "Jim" Kingston (R) v. Amanda Hollowell (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 2: Sanford Bishop (D-Incumbent) v. Matt Day (R)
• U.S. House Rep. District 3: Brian Jack (R-Incumbent) v. Maura Keller (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 4: Henry "Hank" Johnson, Jr. (D-Incumbent) v. Jim Duffie (R)
• U.S. House Rep. District 5: Nikema Williams (D-Incumbent) v. John "Bongo" Salvesen (R)
• U.S. House Rep. District 6: Lucy McBath (D-Incumbent) v. Kevin E. Martin (R)
• U.S. House Rep. District 7: Rich McCormick (R-Incumbent) v. Tony Kozycki (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 8: Austin Scott (R-Incumbent) v. Kelly Esti (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 9: Andrew Clyde (R-Incumbent) v. Caitlyn Gegen (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 10: Houston Gaines (R) v. Pamela "Pam" Delancy (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 11: Josh Cowan (R) v. Chris Harden (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 12: Rick Allen (R-Incumbent) v. Ceretta Smith (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 13: Jonathan Chavez (R) v. Jasmine Clark (D)
• U.S. House Rep. District 14: Clay Fuller (R-Incumbent) v. Shawn Harris (D)