Georgia sets new voting record, tops 4 million ballots cast

ALBANY — Georgia voters went to the polls in record numbers, rejecting an amendment that would have allowed the state to take over failing schools, lining up with Donald Trump in his upset presidential victory, and returning U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson to Washington for a third term.

The secretary of state’s elections office reported Wednesday that more than three out of every four eligible Georgia voters cast ballots in the election. With slightly less than 5.45 million voters on the rolls in the state, more than 4.13 million, or 75.86 percent, turned out. More than 2.18 million of those voters cast ballots during the early voting period.

The previous turnout record in the Peach State was the 3.9 million who cast ballots in 2008, President Obama’s first time on the presidential ballot.

Isakson said Wednesday he was appreciative of the chance to continue to serve Georgia in the Senate and congratulated Trump on his win. In Georgia, with all 159 counties reporting Wednesday, unofficial results showed Trump won a little less than 2.08 million votes, or 51.22 percent, to Clinton’s just more than 1.85 million, or 45.73 percent. Libertarian Gary Johnson was named on 123,881 ballots, 3.06 percent.

“This campaign has felt similar to the movement in 1980 when President Ronald Reagan was elected,” Isakson said. “I look forward to our Republican-elected Congress going to work with President Trump to advance the ideals that made our American democracy great.

“I am ready to work with the president and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get the best results for Georgia and America.”

Isakson will get that chance after capturing slightly less than 2.12 million votes, or 54.93 percent. He easily outpaced Democrat Jim Barksdale, who received less than 1.58 million ballots for 40.91 percent, and Libertarian Allen Buckley, whose 160,608 votes comprised 4.16 percent of the Senate race total.

Southwest Georgia’s two members of the U.S. House were returned to Washington by voters in their respective districts.

In the 2nd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, was challenged by Greg Duke, a Lee County Republican. With all 29 counties in the district reporting, Bishop won 148,033, or 61.19 percent, to Duke’s 93,909, or 38.81 percent.

In the 8th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Tifton, ran far ahead of his Democratic challenger, James Neal Harris, all night. With all 24 counties in Wednesday, Scott won with 173,432 ballots, or 67.73 percent, to Harris’ 82,633, 32.27 percent.

“I am honored that the people of Georgia’s 8th Congressional District have chosen me to represent them in Washington for another term,” Scott said in a news release Tuesday night. “It is a privilege to serve on behalf of our families, warfighters, farmers and businesses in South and Middle Georgia.

“I look forward to continuing to build upon our efforts to protect and defend our nation for the next generation.”

In Georgia Senate District 13, which includes Lee and Worth counties, Republican Greg Kirk won a new two-year term, collecting 72.12 percent of the vote to defeat challenger Ruenette Melton, a Democrat, 43,485-16,808.

Of the four proposed amendments to the state Constitution, Georgia voters rejected only Amendment 1, the Opportunity School District amendment. Under that amendment, which was opposed by many educators and local school boards, including the Dougherty County Board of Education, the state would have been empowered to take control of a certain number of chronically failing schools.

Amendment 1 received the most attention and was the subject of both support and opposition advertisements. With 2.4 million voters casting ballots against the measure and 1.6 million in favor of it, three out of every five voters rejected the amendment.

The other three amendments received less attention. Amendment 3, which authorizes the General Assembly to reconstitute the Judicial Qualifications Commission, passed Tuesday with 62.47 percent of the vote, 2.3 million yeas to 1.4 million nays.

Amendment 2, which permits financial penalties for sex-related crimes that will be used to help child victims, and Amendment 4, which will tax fireworks for trauma care, firefighting and public safety, both passed with more than 81 percent of the vote.

In other state races, Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols, a Republican, retained his commission seat, pulling in more than two-thirds of the vote against Libertarian challenger Eric Hoskins.

Drew Ferguson, a Republican, took 68.37 percent of the votes cast in the 3rd Congressional District to defeat Democrat Angela Pendley. He will succeed U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, who is retiring at the end of his term. The rest of the state’s U.S. House delegation will return to Washington as well, with all incumbents being re-elected, some without opposition.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp said he felt vindicated by the huge turnout.

“After a year of liberal groups accusing me of voter suppression, Georgians were mobilized to go to the polls in record numbers,” Kemp said. “I was proud to lead this effort with the development of our Online Voter Registration System and energizing Georgia’s voters early in 2016 with the creation of the SEC Primary.”