A Massive Amount of Democrats Turned Out to Vote in Georgia — Even With the Election SNAFU

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By Araceli Cruz

June 18, 2020

People waited for hours to vote in the primary elections in Georgia. Turnout data that dedication paid off and broke records. Plus, more Latinos are registering to vote.

GEORGIA — New figures from Georgia’s primary elections on June 9 show Democrats voted more than Republicans. The statistics, reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, show more than a million Democratic voters made their voice heard in the primaries. In contrast, more than 950,000 Republicans turned out to the voting booths. These figures do not tell the whole story, as absentee ballots are still being counted — more so, tens of thousands of people never got their absentee ballots or chose not to wait in line. 

The last time Democrats in Georgia showed up to vote in the primaries in record numbers was back in 2008 for the presidential primaries between then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Some speculate a low turnout by Republicans because the stakes were low. President Donald Trump is already the GOP’s nominee, and Sen. David Perdue didn’t have any opposition. 

Related: Long Lines and Broken Machines Couldn’t Stop These Black and Latino Voters In Georgia

If the numbers are this good in the primaries — and, during a pandemic no less — they’re sure to be a much bigger turnout in November. Voto Latino, the nation’s premier Latinx voter registration organization, announced this week they registered 202,419 voters for the 2020 election cycle, bringing the organization’s total registrations to over 700,000 voters. According to Pew Research, about 62% of Latino voters identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 34% affiliate with or lean to the Republican Party.

Voto Latino also reports that since the murder of George Floyd, there’s been a +2,750% surge of Latino voter registration in crucial battleground states. The organization registered 128,322 Latino voters from Texas, 13,219 in North Carolina, and 10,265 in Georgia. 

“Voto Latino is doing the necessary work to educate, engage, and empower eligible Latinx voters across the country and blasting right through the 200,000 mark proves that,” María Teresa Kumar, Voto Latino President, and CEO said. “Especially now, in the face COVID and demands for justice across the country, we are continuing to register voters at scale, through a culturally competent and digital-first approach. People across this country are aware that one of the most effective tools for creating real, long-lasting change is to go to the polls and make their voices heard. For 15 years, Voto Latino has provided an accessible pathway to do so, and we are well on track to hit our goal of 500,000 registrations before Election Day 2020.”

 

Related: Why Non-Registered Latinos Are Taking the Necessary Steps to Vote in 2020

Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation, wants to see even more minority voters register, primarily in five Southern states. The organization announced Wednesday they would be donating $30 million in grants available to nonprofit groups in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. 

“We’re in the initial stages of seeking out and obtaining first-round grant applications from community groups in the five target states we’re focusing on,” Seth Levi, Chief Strategy Officer for the Southern Poverty Law Center, told The Americano. “We certainly want to increase Latinx participation in our elections and are actively reaching out to organizations that focus on those communities to invite them to apply to Vote Your Voice. Organizations can email [email protected] if they are interested in applying for funding.”

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CATEGORIES: Georgia

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