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Despite record-breaking early voting numbers for a midterm election for the State of Georgia, Troup County lagged behind in both early voting and overall turnout compared to the previous midterm.

A total of 23,295 voters casts ballots in the Nov. 8 election. Most people opted to vote early in person, with 11,176 voters choosing to do so compared to the 10,734 that voted on Election Day. Only 1,385 voters submitted an absentee ballot.

Election Supervisor Andy Harper said the county also had 30 provisional ballots that will be counted if they are verified to be eligible.

The overall turnout was 682 ballots shy of the previous midterm turnout in 2018 where 23,977 votes were cast. Early voting for Troup County was also down compared to the previous midterm. A total of 11,176 early votes were cast this year, 75 fewer than the 2018 November election.

Absentee ballots that have not yet been received will not be counted as Georgia law requires them to be submitted by the close of the polls on Election Day. The only exception is for military and overseas voters.

Military ballots postmarked by the date of the election will be counted if received within three days of Election Day.

Harper said they also have a few “cures ballots” where they are required by law to attempt to rectify minor errors that would make absentee ballots not count, such as failing to sign them. He said they only have a handful of those ballots, so the results won’t be affected.

Normally for absentee ballots, the election office checks their box at the post office when it closes on Election Day. Postal carriers bring any ballots received late in the day to the elections office prior to 7 p.m.

Statewide, the turnout was much higher than the previous midterm. More than 2.5 million Georgians voted in this year’s election compared to the 2.1 million that voted in 2018.