Polls have officially closed in Georgia, one of the most-watched swing states in the South.
Tabulation is expected to happen quickly in the Peach State, and a large chunk of results are expected to come in just an hour later around 8:00 p.m. EST, local station 11Alive reported.
President Joe Biden carried the state by just 11,000 votes in 2020, becoming the first Democrat to win the state since Bill Clinton carried it in his first electoral victory in 1992.
ADVERTISEMENT
Over 55% of registered voters in the Peach State already voted before Election Day, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger announced on Saturday, shattering previous years’ records. About 4 million Georgians voted early this year, compared to roughly 2.6 million in the 2020 presidential election and 2.2 million during the 2022 midterms.
Polls leading up to Election Day have the two candidates neck-and-neck, with neither leading by more than 3 points, according to FiveThirtyEight’s polling aggregator.
Changing demographics in the southern state have turned Georgia into a battleground. Harris targeted the state with a “souls-to-the-polls” campaign, visiting Georgia six times, according to data compiled by Axios. These rallies featured appearances at Black churches alongside pastors and celebrity backers, including Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen.
Trump, meanwhile, visited the state seven times, including a large rally featuring former NFL star and failed Senate candidate Herschel Walker on Sunday.
Find the Daily Beast’s coverage of the 2024 election here. Subscribe to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Overcast.
