澳彩开奖 organizers spend last hours of election getting out the vote in Georgia
In the video: 澳彩开奖 President and CEO Margaret Huang and Yterenickia Bell, the 澳彩开奖鈥檚 state director for Georgia, canvassed an apartment complex in Mableton, Georgia, on Election Day.
Despite millions of people voting early in Georgia, there were still millions of voters remaining on Election Day who could vote but had not despite the polls being open.
Yterenickia Bell, the 澳彩开奖鈥檚 state director for Georgia, was still on the trail trying to get those voters out even as the last grains of sand fell through the election鈥檚 hourglass. Along with 澳彩开奖 President and CEO Margaret Huang, Bell and a small team canvassed at the Alta Mill apartment complex on the afternoon of Election Day. This effort was reaching out to Black women between the ages of 18 and 50.
鈥淚鈥檓 here today to knock on doors in Cobb County,鈥� Huang said. 鈥淲e want to make sure that everyone who hasn鈥檛 cast their vote yet does so before the end of the day.鈥�
鈥淲e reached a few voters,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淢ost had already voted or had just voted today. But that鈥檚 all good.鈥�
One voter, Yolene Alvarez, was actually waiting for her ride to the polls when she was approached.
鈥淚 was a poll worker for 10 years, so I know voting is important,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was the assistant supervisor for two years, then I demoted myself to polling clerk. But I still helped out on all of the other duties.鈥�
Because of her time as a poll worker, she was very aware of the early voting options in Georgia.
鈥淲hen I worked at the polls, I always voted early,鈥� Alvarez said. 鈥淏ut this year I waited till Election Day.鈥�
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger held a press conference at noon, extolling the large number of early votes cast as well as the healthy day-of-voting response. The state saw more than 4 million votes cast through its early voting period.
鈥淏y noon, it looks like half a million people have already voted,鈥� Raffensperger said. 鈥淛ust to project that out, if everything stays the same, we鈥檒l be over 1.2 million. So, look at the 4 million we had, and that gives you an idea of where we will be at the end of the day.鈥�
The 澳彩开奖 canvassing team was also given news as they moved from door to door, knocking and leaving flyers for potential voters. Two Cobb County locations remained open for an additional 20 minutes after mechanical issues with voting machines held up the opening on the morning of Election Day. In Fulton and Gwinnett counties, several polling stations remained open after bomb threats 鈥� which Raffensperger blamed on Russia 鈥� forced the polls to close for a brief period. Two other sites, in DeKalb County, were being held open until 8:22 p.m., or an hour and 22 minutes after the statewide closing.
鈥淲e don't want people to be afraid about going to vote,鈥� Huang said. 鈥淏ut it is very clearly part of the effort to discourage voting today.鈥�
Which, Bell said, is why the canvassing effort is so important.
鈥淭his really is a last push to remind people that this is the last day to vote, the last minutes to vote,鈥� Bell said. 鈥淣ot just for president, but for county commission, city council, school board and constitutional amendments. They are all important.鈥�
Bell said the effort was the last of several canvasses, going back to before the primary elections were held.
鈥淲e wanted to make sure people were voting their values and that their voices are heard,鈥� Bell said.
Picture at top: 澳彩开奖 President and CEO Margaret Huang goes door to door in a final get-out-the-vote effort before polls close on Election Day in Mableton, Georgia. (Credit: David Naugle)
