It appears GOP-led efforts to tamp down early voting have not worked very well. 

Early voting works and works very well.

We encourage voters to vote early, whether in person or by mail. 

There are some who wish we would return to the days of Election Day voting and only allow what was once just called absentee voting for just people who need special accommodations for a narrow list of reasons, but that train has long left the station.

Georgia voters have been flocking to the polls through the second week of early voting in the 2022 primary election, breaking state records for pre-election turnout. 

More than a quarter million voters have already cast their ballots, representing a more than 200% increase over the last midterm elections. 

With key statewide races on the ballot — including governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and U.S. Congress, there is a lot at stake in this year’s elections.

The robust turnout may, in part, be a strong reaction to General Assembly attempts to further restrict the early voting turnout by reducing the number of ballot drop boxes, reducing the amount of time to request an absentee ballot, eliminating the practice of mailing ballots to all registered voters and allowing them to easily make their own decisions about whether to mail the ballot in or vote in person and making it illegal to pass out water or snacks to voters who may be waiting in excessively long lines in metro areas.

Sometimes there are unintended consequences when lawmakers rush to take action without thinking through pieces of legislation they think will be popular with the constituents. 

While some lawmakers may not like early voting and mail-in voting, it is obvious voters do like having these options. 

All forms of voter suppression, intended or unintended, are wrong and an affront to democracy. 

There is one more week of early voting and Election Day is May 24. 

Whether you vote early, in-person, mail your ballot or wait and vote on Election Day, we encourage all legally registered voters to go to the polls. 

Your vote matters and just one vote can make a difference.