Georgia election 2022 live updates: Brian Kemp defeats Stacey Abrams to secure re-election

Election Day in Georgia is all over but the countin'.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. across the state, bringing to a close a contentious midterm election driven by interest in a governor's race rematch, a U.S. Senate contest pitting Sen. Raphael Warnock against UGA football icon and Republican Herschel Walker, and a local transportation-related sales tax, known as TSPLOST.

Various local races in Chatham and Bryan counties are also on the ballot. Learn more about them here.

Election 2022 in Georgia: Here are the midterm races to watch

What to know: How Georgia voters can cast their ballots for the Nov. 8 midterms

Barriers to the ballot: Georgia voters with disabilities working to improve access to the polls

11 p.m. | Reports: Stacey Abrams calls Brian Kemp to concede, earning him re-election

The much-publicized 2018 Georgia governor's re-match has come to an end.

Just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday night, multiple state and national media report that Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams called Gov. Brian Kemp to offer her concession. As of this posting, Kemp holds 53.8% of the votes versus Abrams' 45.5%.

10:30 p.m. | Mallow to move from Georgia House to Senate; Watson wins again

Georgia House Rep. Derek Mallow (D-Savannah) won his Georgia Senate bid on Tuesday and will succeed Sen. Lester Jackson in the District 1 seat. Mallow joined the Georgia General Assembly two years ago, winning an open Georgia House seat.

In another Georgia Senate race, incumbent Ben Watson (R-Savannah) topped challenger Jay Jones (D-Savannah). Watson has now won seven consecutive elections, three in the Georgia House and now four in the Georgia Senate.

9:30 p.m. | Rep. Carter wins a fifth term

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Pooler) has been declared the winner in his U.S. House race against challenger Wade Herring. Carter had 59% of the vote with 49% counted.

With the win, Carter is positioned to vie for chair of the U.S. House Budget Committee, should Republicans reclaim majority control of the House in Tuesday's elections.

Herring, a Savannah lawyer, was making his first bid for elected office.

First District results: Buddy Carter wins re-election over Wade Herring, securing Congress seat

7 p.m. | Polls close

Savannah-area voting locations closed on time, although voters who were at the precincts or in line at 7 p.m. were allowed to cast their ballots. Vote counting was to begin immediately following closure of the polls. Local results can be found here.

6:50 p.m. | First-time voter at the West Broad YMCA

At the YMCA on West Broad, a mother and son just finished casting their ballots together. It’s 19-year-old Michael Bolton’s first time voting and he’s hoping it can bring about real change.

For the high school senior, gun violence and crime hits too close to home.

“We stay where the crime at,” said Bolton, “At night we can hear gunshots going off.”

His mother, Lakeisha Davis, said she just wants to see the world change for the better for her son. What exactly those changes are, she struggles to put into words.

“I can’t really explain it,” said Davis, “He’s young and Black and that’s scary right now.”

Davis said she wants the right people to lead, but “politics can be sticky”. Sometimes you don’t know who has your back, she says.

But she still votes with  one thought in mind: “I want my kids to be happy, healthy and striving.”

5:44 p.m. | The pull of 'local' issues in Morningside

At the Christ Community Church at Morningside polling precinct, about 500 voters cast their ballots before 5 p.m. Poll manager Sharalyn Williams said they’re expecting more voters as the work day ends.

One of them was Charles Norwood, who biked up to the church with TSPLOST on his mind.

The ballot referendum would increase sales tax in the county by 1% to fund transportation-related infrastructure projects, including making roads more pedestrian and bike-friendly.

“Local issues are probably more important to me,” said Norwood, “So, what is the city doing about infrastructure projects? Are they looking to develop neighborhoods? I’d like to be able to bike, walk and run.”

Marquee races like the governors and US senate races are still important to Norwood, but he feels more influence at the local level.

“I feel like I have more of a way to contribute to what’s going on,” he said.

4:50 p.m. | New residents cast first Georgia ballot

Jessie and Earth Hankins Schwartz were among more than 400 voters who cast their ballots at the Thunderbolt Senior Citizens Complex, where residents of the small waterfront municipality voted this election.

Recently moved from California, they were excited to vote in Georgia elections, where LGBTQ and abortion rights were top of mind for the married duo.

“I mean, for us, I think as queer people and people with uteruses, we want to make sure that we have the right to choose. So No. 1, that's huge,” Jessie said. “And we like doing our part to make Georgia a little bluer.”

The two were also surprised at the efficiency and friendliness of the precinct, which they said was at-odds with their California voting experiences.

"The gentleman (at the ballot machine) made sure to count my number. He was like, ‘make sure your number was counted,’" Earth said. “It felt like they had an intention of making sure the vote was counted properly. And I've never had someone say that to me before. So that was important.”

The Thunderbolt residents said they were excited to do their civic duty, turning their voting time into date night.

“We’re not just transplants either. We have moved here to live here to make this our home,” Earth said. “And we've heard people say, ‘Oh, please don't bring too much California with you.’ But we really are loving it here. So we are treating this like our home.“

4:45 p.m. | 'Want my vote to count' on Savannah's East Side

At around 4:45 p.m., the sunlight cast a warm glow across the Whitney Industrial Complex on the east side of Savannah.

Francine King shielded her eyes as she walked out of the polling precinct after casting her ballot.

King, a nurse and grandmother, said she comes out to vote every election, and this year is no different.

“I want my vote to count,” said King.

She uses her vote to better the world for her grandchildren. She wants them to get an education and to “have a decent life”. King mentions how rising crime and school shootings across the U.S. are making her worry about the young generation’s future.

“There’s just so much going on,” said King.

4:15 p.m. | Smooth sailing at Wilmington Island

As the clock ticked towards 4 p.m., two of Wilmington Island's voting precincts -- situated inside neighboring churches on North Cromwell Road -- began to fill up with voters.

Faye Williams expected more of a crowd at Wilmington Island United Methodist Church, but was "in and out in minutes."

Compared to the 2020 election, she said, turnout seemed "lax."

"There was bigger crowds and more people was very energetic to get to the polls," she said of the 2020 election, which included two U.S. Senate races and the presidential race. "I don't think this year they were (as energetic.) I think everybody is kind of laid back."

While early and absentee voting has climbed higher than ever before in Georgia, precinct managers on Wilmington Island said in-person voter turnout was on-par with other election seasons.

At Wilmington Island Presbyterian Church, more than 615 people had cast their vote before 4 pm, poll manager Ashley Reed said. She said 900 registered voters in her precinct, 4-08, voted early and another 90 mailed in absentee ballots.

"It’s pretty good, but we hope to have at least 1,000 (ballots cast)," she said. "I would rather have 1,200..."

Reed added that the precinct had not had any issues, "because I don't allow them."

Across the street at precinct 4-07, poll manager Norma Canicatti said all but two of their machines had not been properly programmed with today's date and time, but her team solved the issue before doors opened at 7 a.m.

"We had about 30 (people) in line at 7, and we cleared them right out. And it’s been a steady stream since," Canicatti said around 4 p.m. "We’ll probably have another little spurt but (voters) seem to be separating themselves throughout the day."

3:45 p.m. | Quiet morning becomes more active afternoon for Springfield church

Bethel Lutheran Church in Springfield was relatively quiet until mid-afternoon when voters began to pour in. The church just off Georgia 21 has seen around 175 voters.

Ellen Gehrke said this year’s election is especially important as she is concerned about the state of small business owners.

“I’m passionate about getting our economy under control,” said Gehrke. “People don’t have money for extra spending. In general, voting for people who have small communities and business owners at heart is who I voted for. Gas prices are high and that impacts how people spend with us and what we can do as a family.”

With her daughter in tow, Gehrke cast her ballot and explained to her youngster the importance of having a voice in this election, saying the number of voters have declined in recent years.

“I was explaining to her this is important because those that lead us are the ones that make decisions for us,” said Gehrke. “I went over the process with her and I think it was important for her to see that.”

Jordan Callais was eager to cast his vote at Bethel Luthe Church in Springfield. He is leaning more towards Gov. Brian Kemp because of his investment in local communities, as well as protecting Georgians’ rights to carry.

“I like Kemp,” said Callais. “I think there are things he could have done better but I prefer him over Miss Abrams because I feel like he understands more about the agriculture side of things. Being born and raised here, when it comes to gun laws, I agree more with Kemp on that. I think he has more of what I’m interested in.”

Callais said voting integrity is always on the back of his mind when he casts his vote, citing the 2020 presidential election.

“The media talks about it a lot so I do think about it,” said Callais. “Your thinking about it and questioning it. But I’ve never been worried too much about our state becoming like that.”

3:05 p.m. | Hopeful voter turned away at Tybee precinct after registering too late

This section has been updated to reflect that Tybee Island has two voting precincts, not one, as previously reported. We regret the error.

Lily Heines showed up to vote at the Tybee Island precinct, 4-11, but was turned away.

“I registered (to vote) three days ago,” the island native said. “In hindsight, it’s way too soon.”

While defeated she wasn’t able to vote — Georgia required all voters to register by Oct. 11, four weeks before Election Day — she did not begrudge the poll workers at the Tybee YMCA who turned her away.

“It’s not their fault, they’re just messengers,” she said. “I learned my lesson.”

The YMCA where Heines sought to cast her ballot is one of two voting precincts on Tybee Island. By 2:45 pm, 545 people had cast their ballots in-person at precinct 4-11.

2:52 p.m. | The 'A-Team' on Talahi Island is fielding an efficient polling location

The “A-Team” of poll workers at Lighthouse Baptist Church on Talahi Island — precinct 4-04 — welcomed Election Day with a line of 30 people before doors opened, according to manager Dave King.

“By 7:20 a.m., the line was cleared,” King said.

The precinct is in unincorporated county and seen 468 voters cast their ballots by 2 p.m., according to King, who credited his team of about eight volunteers with the efficiency of their operation.

“I’m blessed to have them, they’ve made my day easier,” the first-time poll manager said.

Debbi Reid was in and out “in seconds” when she voted at 2:15 Tuesday afternoon. On a break from work, she said she’s been voting at the church for 15 years and has never had an issue.

Reid said she was not well-versed on the TSPLOST referendum but knew which candidates she wanted to vote for.

“I wanna see the right people in the right office,” Reid said.

2:30 p.m. | Steady flow of voters showing up in Guyton

Pineora Baptist Church in Guyton has seen a steady flow of voters throughout the day but more than expected, according to poll manager Sue Payne. The site has been free of any hiccups related to faulty machines or other technical issues.

“We have had about 350 people come through today, which is a lot for this precinct,” said Payne.

Lameisha Hunter-Kelly has been overwhelmed by this year’s election, saying each party’s political strategy in ad campaigns can divide communities. “We are being saturated with political commercials and I’m tired of the negativity,” said Hunter-Kelly.

She went on to say she is not concerned about voting integrity. As a former poll worker, she understands the hard work that goes into getting everything prepped for the big day.

“I believe some of that is perceived and made up,” said Hunter-Kelly. “I know what it’s like from the inside and the steps it entails to make sure all votes are counted.”

2:22 p.m. | Democrat candidates Wade Herring and Derek Mallow share lunch at Randy's BBQ

As Chatham, Bryan, Effingham and Liberty County residents head to the polls to vote for the next U.S. House Rep. for the 1st District, Democratic candidate Wade Herring talked to Chatham voters outside Randy's BBQ in Savannah at lunchtime on Tuesday.

Herring was joined by Georgia Senate candidate Derek Mallow, who is running against Republican candidate Clinton Young for the state senate seat held by Lester Jackson. Jackson gave up the seat to run for the Democratic nomination for the state Labor commissioner post, but lost in the primary.

Herring is trying to unseat U.S. House Rep. Buddy Carter, who has held the position since 2015.

1:47 p.m. | Savannah State students head to the polls despite lack of options on campus

“I think the importance of voting is controlling your future,” Savannah State University student Jadon Adams said. “[With] the lawmakers, you don’t want to be put in a bad position, so if you want to control that, you should go vote.”

The 2022 Election season was one of Adams’ first voting experiences, which was very enjoyable for him.

“It was very fun because it was one of my first times voting. I thought it was going to take a long time, but it didn’t. It was very productive.”

“...If you want to see change happen, you have to vote for the people you want in office,” student Nadiri Morrison says.

His second time voting was a “smooth-sailing” process. To students who are interested in voting, but may not know where to start, Morrison suggests: “Ask your parents [or] an adult who is either eligible to vote or has been voting for a long time so they can help you with that process.”

Morgan Usher hasn’t voted yet but considers voting to be very important.

“It’s important because you want the right people in office… on a local level, it’s very important to have the right people in office to help the [community].”

Usher voted in the 2016 elections and didn’t enjoy the experience as much as she expected to. “It was a long line [and] we were cold outside… but it was smooth after that.”

She plans to vote in the next major election.

Hope Tennison wanted to vote but wasn’t able to due to the lack of polling access on campus.

“I’m not voting because there really aren’t facilities to vote at now that I can get to easily without access to a car or taking a bus… I can’t vote because I don’t have transportation.”

Despite the lack of voting resources, Tennison still considers voting to be very important for the younger generation. “I do believe voting is important for students,” she said.

“We are going to be the ones who are growing up in the world that the [government officials] have control over. Of course, our opinion does matter because we’re going to be the ones stepping into that world."

Jamari Rice is going to his hometown of Atlanta to participate in the election season.

“For me… the importance of voting is what you see in the future,” he says. “People you can count on and rely on and who can help you with your needs and wants… having your voice heard.”

Rice believes that the students who are active voters are the resources for students who are becoming interested in their civic responsibility. “We have to pass [our knowledge] down to people [younger] than us or those who are starting to get into voting… People may not realize how important it is.”

1:37 p.m. | New voters at Georgia Southern Armstrong exercise their right

“I do believe that voting is important because that is a way for us just as a people and a race to express the way that we feel and to get into politics,” Georgia Southern student Da’Jah Moore says.

“That is also a way for us to have a voice. We get to speak up and say what we do agree with and what we do disagree with, by also being proactive in our country.”

Moore plans to vote later on during the day and considers herself a consistent voter.

“… I do try to get out and exercise my right, and to just have a say-so. There are some people that are aligned with my morals, my values and the things that I do believe in. That’s why I do try to get out and be proactive, and I spread the word so we can all be proactive.”

Student Jocelyn Fitzpatrick is considerably new to the voting world but understands its importance. “My parents were never really big on politics… so I never really had the chance to vote, but I would like to start sometime soon,” Fitzpatrick says.

“It’s our country as well. We are people of the country, and we should have a say in what gets done.”

“I think that in the grand scheme of things, if everyone votes… If it’s something that everyone decides is important and everyone is actually doing their research and looking into it, everyone could make a big difference,” student Olivia Forrest says.

“Regardless of your opinions, just having that option to be able to voice what you believe is super powerful. I think taking advantage of that is crucial to seeing the America we want to live in.”

David Trappio just turned 18 and cannot wait to register and begin voting.

“I do think that voting is absolutely important, especially if you have a general concept of what you want to happen, whether it’s in your general area or just in the world, period,” he says.

“With all the things that are going on in our society, it’s huge. I think that for our generation, our voices matter. For years in the past, they haven’t, but now that we have the platform, I think it’s important that we should vote,” says student Maya Brown, a new voter.

“I think it’s important to vote because everyone has a voice. If you want to see what you want out of your country, then it’s your duty to vote. That’s how you see change,” Hugh Markowsky said.

Markowsky voted at one of the polling precincts in Downtown Savannah.

11:42 a.m. | Process 'rolling along' after 'heavy early voting'

Voting at precinct 2-03 was smooth sailing Tuesday morning, according to poll manager Neota McMora.

"We're just rolling along," she said.

McMora has been working at the same precinct for 15 years, and said this year's turnout was average, "but after such heavy early voting, we expected that," she said.

Across Savannah's eastside, poll workers said machines were working well and there had been no major issues during the first half of Election Day.

For McMora and her crew, Election Day serves as a way to interact with the community. She said she has watched kids come in with parents voting, "and now they're coming to vote themselves."

Several precincts reported average "or slightly above" turnout. McMora said she expects the day to continue in much the same way.

"We’ve been steady and not had any problems. Now, we got about ... " McMora said as she glanced at her watch, seeing there was eight hours left of voting. "So we'll see."

10:58 a.m. | Still no Bruno, but 'Bruno Jr.' makes his debut

As far as local Election Day folklore in Savannah goes, there are not many recurring oddities.

But at Precinct 1-05, the Jewish Educational Alliance, poll manager Jeannette Cooper, who has been doing this for almost two decades, has contributed plenty to the mythos.

In 2019, when Georgia rolled out the Dominion voting system, Cooper and her poll workers came to love an especially bulky scanner, who they affectionately named "Bruno." Bruno was larger than the other scanners, which accept paper copies of the ballots in each polling place.

Bruno was special. Brurno was unique. And since 2019, Bruno has been missing.

During the primary,  it wasn't Bruno providing voters with a paper audit. It was another scanner, of regular size, which Cooper named "Dummy."

This year, Cooper and the election workers at the JEA missed Bruno again, but this time, they were feeding the ballots to a machine, also of regular size, that Cooper called "Bruno Jr."

Some poll workers said this machine was Bruno's stepson, and Cooper said it was performing well. About 200 voters had been through by 10 a.m.

"Junior's doing good, he's really doing it all today," Cooper said. "Everything is going good, it's beautiful, we had no line. There were a bunch of people waiting on that door to open, and once that door opened, piece of cake."

Otherwise, Cooper said things were shipshape at the JEA. Cooper said there hadn't been any issues to speak of earlier in the day. Cooper, the poll workers and yes, Bruno Jr., were working hard to make sure voters got in and out quickly.

10:51 a.m. | Voters mull issues such as TSPLOST, abortion rights

Elizabeth Williams, 57, was among the first group of people to cast their ballots at the Moses Jackson Community Center. The most important thing that brought the West Savannah resident out that morning?

"Change," Williams said. "Make sure those Democrats stay in office."

One of the biggest decisions on the ballot is the Transportation Local Options Sales Tax, which is a penny sales tax that would go toward transportation projects in the county. Just a few miles down the street was a sign that urged residents to vote "no" on TSPLOST.

"I won't be voting (for TSPLOST)," Williams said as she gestured toward the road. "I don't see any improvements. Not in this neighborhood."

Roman Hughes, 51, was on his way to work when he decided to stop by the community center to cast his ballot beforehand. In West Savannah, he wants to see the city cleaned up. In Georgia and beyond, abortion is an issue that weighs on his mind.

Television advertisements attacking both Republican candidate Herschel Walker and incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, have dominated the Georgia airwaves in the past few months. Hughes noted the allegations made against Walker and said that while he's "not sure if all the stuff they're saying about him are correct," he believes most are, sharing the same sentiment with Williams about keeping the Democrats in office.

At Resurrection of our Lord Catholic Church in West Savannah, Uncle Rodney Middleton, as his niece affectionately called him, turned out to vote around 8 a.m. Tuesday to make sure the next generation has "better power."

At Rothwell Baptist Church in Pooler, the 2022 midterm elections marked 18-year-old Taylor Rexroat's first time being able to vote. While she felt nervous going into the polling station, the process was easier and faster than she had imagined.

Stacey Collins, 49, is turning 50 on Wednesday. But before she ushers in a new age, the Pooler resident welcomed this year's Election Day by performing her civic duty at the Pooler Recreation Park gymnasium.

"There's so many important issues that we're facing right now ... the economy, inflation, education."

All was calm at there on Tuesday morning as voters got in and out of the gym with ease, "I voted" stickers in their hands.

"I would just shout out to Chatham County, especially this location," Collins said. "I mean, they're running it professionally. It was easy. It took me less than five minutes to get through the whole process and I'm used to longer lines where I came from when I moved to this area.

"I've been pleasantly surprised by how well it's run, especially for such a fairly-heavily populated area."

10:42 a.m. | A college student's perspective on voting in Georgia

Asher Freidberg, an Illinois native, became a Georgia voter this year ahead of the midterm elections. The Savannah College of Art and Design senior was excited to cast his vote and make his voice heard Tuesday morning at his precinct, the W.W. Law Community Center on East Bolton Street.

“I'm just not a fan of a lot of focus on election denying and stuff like that,” Freidberg said. “I try to keep my head out of that. My vote counts.”

While it was his first time voting in Georgia, he said the process was streamlined and the poll workers at Precinct 2-03 were helpful.

The college student said his top issue was protecting a “woman’s right to choose” whether she wants an abortion or not, but he was not prepared to vote on TSPLOST, the transportation penny sales tax referendum that would approve $600 million in tax revenue for roadway improvements, sidewalk construction and other transportation-related projects across the county.

“I have to admit, I didn't know that. I read about them. It was interesting. I have to admit, I wish I had more time to look it up in advance, but reading it, I feel like I made the right choice,” Freidberg said of his vote.

Freidberg said registering in Georgia was important to him, particularly when it comes to key battleground races, including the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Rev. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat, and Herschel Walker, a Republican.

“I'd like to say that I think Herschel Walker has no chance but it's kind of scary,” Freidberg said, referencing the latest polls showing Warnock with less than a 1-point lead over the former UGA running back. “I'm a big supporter of Raphael Warnock, so it'd be a real shame if it got to a run-off. I swear, comparing these two men ... it's almost an insult.”

10:30 a.m.| An issue with a printer — we've all been there

Savannah High School's precinct, 3-03, was down one voting booth as of 9:30 a.m.

The printer was not working, according to a poll worker, but a county technician has already been by to pick up the broken printer and a new one was on the way.

The precinct was operating with three of its four voting booths, but voters were slowly trickling in — there were 55 ballots cast by 9:30 — so it didn't cause a problem.

9:51 a.m. | 'Eventful' start smoothed over at Trinity Lutheran Church

Southside locations were mostly running smoothly, with small technological issues here and there, but no long delays.

At the polling location at Windsor Forest Church, there were a huge chunk of early votes, but still a 20-foot line out of the door at 7 a.m., said poll manager Emily Wise.

Meanwhile, at the polling location at Trinity Lutheran Church, voting started off “eventful,” said poll officer Napoleon Martin. The Ballot Marking Device (BMD) wasn’t working, causing a 10-15-minute delay for voters who came in around 7:30 a.m.

They could have switched to paper ballots, but chose not to, Martin added. Other than that, everything ran smoothly.

At around 9 a.m., however, the voting process was “perfect,” said voter Rachel Westfall. She said she has voted four times at Trinity Lutheran.

“It was easy, people were really nice, absolutely no complaints,” Westfall said.

Georgetown Elementary, on 1516 King George Blvd., was busy, but it was also marked by early voting. According to poll manager Bobbie Torres, about 40% of voters were early voters. Still, at 7 a.m., 60 people waited in line inside, while 40 waited outside.

Torres noted that she thinks one out of 10 people were new voters in Chatham County — either having just moved to the area or young, first-time eligible voters.

Two voters who voted together agreed that it was “easy to vote” at Georgetown Elementary. Both of them, who declined to provide their names because they didn’t want people knocking on their doors, voted Republican.

The female voter said she was motivated to vote because she wants to retake the house and senate. The male voter said he was motivated by two main issues: crime and inflation.

“I foresee a runoff,” said the male voter.

9:45 a.m. | Busy is 'lovely' at the polls

Over at First Presbyterian Church (Precinct 1-01), poll manager Katherine Simmons said things were running smoothly.

Tuesday marked Simmons' second year serving as poll manager for the precinct, and she said she felt prepared. She had seen 283 voters come and go since the day started, and it was only 9:15 a.m.

"It's been very busy, which is lovely," Simmons said. "There was a mad rush in the beginning, and now it's going pretty steady."

Simmons said she is getting a handle on poll managing, with her first foray into the field coming during the primary over the summer.

"They train us really well. Before every election we get training (and) in case things change, a refresher," Simmons said. "There's always going to be crazy stuff that happens, and we just try to problem solve, call the office if we need help."

9:42 a.m. | No reported issues at Morningside Baptist Church

It was business as usual at Precinct 2-07 at Morningside Baptist Church on West Gwinnett Street.

By 9 a.m., there had been no reported issues with voting machines or processes.

Voters Andre and Kesha Baxter were in and out in less than five minutes. They said the intense scrutiny on Georgia's voting procedures was for naught.

"It's definitely a bunch of fearmongering, but we understand," Andre Baxter said. "We've been voting the same way for how many presidential elections? It's been done the same way for I don't know how long — mail-in ballots, stuff like that. So, what's the issue now?"

The 2021 Georgia law restricted the number of drop-off ballot boxes, the length of time to request a mail-in ballot and established a statewide, nonpartisan position to oversee the validity of elections. Many have called the bill a move to restrict votes by the Republican Party, while the GOP said the measures are an attempt to safeguard elections.

For voters like the Baxters, a Black couple who live on Savannah's Eastside, the changes had no impact on their in-person voting plans. "It's quick and easy," they said.

8:51 a.m. | Abortion rights issue impacts midterm elections

Abortion rights were top of mind for Shekita Hendrix at the Salvation Army, where she cast her vote in person around 8:25 Tuesday morning.

"That's one of the main issues being a woman myself and having a daughter," Hendrix said as she left her voting precinct, 2-09. "I think most people should be able to control what goes on with their body without the government having any say so in it."

Abortion rights have been a crucial issue for many voters across the political spectrum and country, as America takes to the polls for midterm elections. And in Georgia, key races have turned the Peach State into a battleground for control of the U.S. Congress yet again.

The national spotlight on Georgia — and endless tide of political ads and fundraising — didn't do much to sway Hendrix toward one candidate. She stuck to the issues.

"My mind was pretty much made up of who I wanted to vote for, so it didn't sway me or change my mind about who I wanted to vote for. I kept it straightforward: looked at the Democrats and what they had to offer and voted from that," Hendrix said.

And while the state already has seen a record number of early voters, in-person voting for the midterms far outpaced morning turnout during the June primaries.

Hendrix was one of 115 people to cast their vote before 8:30 a.m., where poll workers said there had been no issues with machinery or processes.

8:43 a.m. | Status report from Chatham Board of Elections Supervisor: Smooth start

It's the busiest day of the year for Chatham Board of Elections Supervisor Billy Wooten, but this ain't his first rodeo.

Wooten's first year at the helm of the BOE was last year, and he's got two decades of poll managing experience before that. He said, as far as he could tell, it was a smooth start to the day.

Wooten said as of about 8:20 a.m. Tuesday morning, no polls in Chatham County had seen issues that caused them to delay their opening time — a good sign, as a poll opening late can lead to extensions to polling hours later Tuesday evening.

"We had some power issues, a few polls had connectivity issues, or too much plugged into one circuit," Wooten said. "But we've got all that resolved right now, as far as I know."

Wooten said the only issues seen so far this morning involved plugging too many voting machines into a single electrical outlet cluster, a common issue since the implementation of the Dominion Voting System in 2020. But Wooten says these issues were cleared out quickly by technicians. On Election Day, voting machine technicians field reports of equipment errors throughout the county, going from precinct to precinct solving issues. Wooten said there are 16 countywide today.

Overall, he said the day is off to a good start as far as Election Day goes, but they're remaining vigilant.

"I think it's a good start so far, but there's always gonna be issues. Always," Wooten said.

7:57 a.m. | Questions on the TSPLOST funding

Election day rose over Savannah on Tuesday morning, and the air was cool.

Outside Holy Spirit Lutheran Church (Precinct 2-05) on East 37th Street, a line of about 10 people had formed by 7:15 a.m.

Kristin Harward-Grant was in line, looking over a printed list of constitutional amendment questions tacked onto the bottom of the ballot.

She was talking to her neighbors in line about the Transportation Local Options Sales Tax, or TSPLOST, and noted that while she supports the idea of using tax dollars to improve roads, she questioned the vagueness of the project lists.

"I like the idea of it, but I just think it's going to hurt those who live here," Harward-Grant said. "I just don't think it's going to go where they say it's going to go."

By 7:45 a.m. the line had moved through into the poll, with no one waiting outside. 48 people had voted by then.

7:30 a.m. | Inflation disinformation?

Campaign signs always seem to proliferate even more in the days right before an election. The 11th-hour popups this year? Signs that read simply "Bacon $10.99," a reference to inflation in the grocery store and a condemnation of the political party in power, the Democrats.

A quick run to Kroger showed the signs to be misleading: A pound of Smithfield bacon is on sale for $4.49 today. So two packages of bacon costs less than $10.99.

7 a.m. | Early (Election Day) voting

Georgia saw midterm record high turnout for early in-person and absentee voting, with more than 2.5 million ballots submitted as of early in-person voting's close on Friday. Election Day voters were out early, too, with lines stretching outside of several precincts prior to the 7 a.m. opening of polls.

Dozens of voters snaked outside neighboring churches that are used as polling places on Wilmington Island as the sun came up. The same went for a polling place adjacent to Islands High School, much to the chagrin of arriving students. More than 100 voters waited in line to vote outside Coastal Cathedral in West Chatham.

The early rush is not unusual as many voters choose to complete their ballot before heading to work.

7 a.m. | Polls are open. What to know if you're voting in Chatham or Bryan County

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open till 7 p.m. See polling locations in Georgia.

Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be permitted to cast a ballot.

Voters can vote at their assigned polling place. A full list is available on the county's elections website:

• Chatham County

• Bryan County

How and where to vote in today's elections

Here's what's required to cast your ballot in today's Georgia midterm general elections:

You must be registered to vote. The deadline to register for this election was Oct. 11.

Voters must show a valid photo ID when voting in person

Go to your assigned polling place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Those in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

Sample ballot, polling places

Want to know where to vote and who's on the ballot? You can find sample ballots and polling location on the My Voter Page on the Secretary of State website.

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This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Election Day 2022 in Georgia: Live updates from Chatham, Bryan voting