Almost 1,000 people have cast ballots in the Republican primary runoff between Casey Cagle and Brian Kemp, three times the early voting numbers in the May primary.
The Hall County Elections Office has seen surging early voting in the first days of the runoff election, according to Registration Coordinator Terenda Sargent.
Early voting
When: July 2 through July 20, Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
Where: Hall County Government Center, 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville
More info: Visit the Hall County Elections Office site for voting info, sample ballots
More than 250 people turned out on Monday, July 2, the first day of early voting, and more than 200 people have voted every day since:
- July 2: 209
- July 3: 267
- July 4: No voting
- July 5: 223
- July 6: 240
With only four days of voting, 939 people have cast ballots in Hall County. It’s a steep increase from the primary, which attracted only 91 voters in Hall County on the first day of early voting.
Since primary day, there’s been no shortage of energy among the two candidates, Lt. Gov. Cagle and Secretary of State Kemp, who have slung rough attacks on each other’s records and personal conduct in television ads, interviews and public events.
From Cagle’s history using state-funded aircraft to travel between Atlanta and Gainesville while lieutenant governor to Kemp’s sour business deals, there’s been no shortage of recent ammunition for both candidates.
Soon after the primary, the secret recording between Cagle and former primary candidate Clay Tippins surfaced, setting off a roiling discussion in the state about the lieutenant governor’s time in office and whether what Tippins did was ethical.
The two candidates hit each other over these issues and more during the lone debate between the primary and runoff. Cagle and Kemp faced off on Thursday, July 5, in Columbus. You can watch the debate online.
That energy could be trickling into Republican voters as both candidates sink time into Cagle’s home of Hall County.
Only a couple of days after the tape was released, Cagle opened his Hall County headquarters on Green Street, and Kemp has made occasional fundraising trips to the county to drum up cash from connections in the county.
Cagle won the county in the primary, but failed to take a clear majority of the vote and falling short of the 50 percent threshold. Meanwhile, a few of Kemp’s local supporters have deep pockets: The secretary of state raised more than $30,000 during a dinner fundraiser before the runoff.
Also on the GOP ballot in the runoff are contests for lieutenant governor between Geoff Duncan and David Schafer and for secretary of state between David Belle Isle and Brad Raffensberger.
Only one statewide Democratic race remains undecided, the school superintendent runoff between Sid Chapman and Otha E. Thornton Jr.