We are more than half way through the early voting period and there is more work to do. Read this recap on the latest election data below, and plan to join us knocking doors this weekend. We need to keep voting energy high!

In this edition of the Draper Paper:

1. Early voting is up, but the work isn’t done.

2. We can still get this done!

3. Volunteer to get out the vote.

4. Join us for a state of the election data webinar.

Early voting in Georgia is up, but the headlines overstate the gains. The real story is more complicated. In-person early voting is running ahead of 2022, with several record breaking days. Absentee ballots are down, sharply in some counties. The result is an overall early vote count only modestly higher than 2022 and uneven across the state.

Fewer mail ballots are on the way

We should not expect absentee voting to close the gap from the first two weeks. Absentee ballot requests are down roughly 50% in major metro areas, so the late surge of absentee votes we have seen in past cycles is unlikely to materialize.

Note: If you have not received your absentee ballot yet, go ahead and vote in person if you can!

Early vote by area, the detail behind Chart 2

Turnout is accepted early ballots as a share of all registered voters, active and inactive. Gwinnett’s 2022 counts come from the state’s daily early-vote reports because its 2022 ballot file is incomplete.

Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton are lagging 

Early turnout is being driven by voters in the Atlanta suburbs and exurbs, where turnout is outpacing 2022 by about 11 to 17 percentage points. DeKalb and Fulton are lagging well behind those counties, and the rest of the state is trailing further still.

Early vote by area, the detail behind Chart
Turnout is accepted early ballots as a share of all registered voters, active and inactive. Gwinnett’s 2022 counts come from the state’s daily early-vote reports because its 2022 ballot file is incomplete.

The counties with the most Democrats are behind

Some of this makes sense. There are competitive State House races in suburban districts and many of these voters are Democrats, but the counties with the largest concentrations of Democratic voters are lagging. A new early vote in DeKalb or Clayton is close to a Democratic vote all the way down the ballot.

Why this matters

We have big goals for this election. We are working to re-elect Senator Jon Ossoff, elect Keisha Lance Bottoms as Governor, flip the State House, and elect Democrats all the way down the ballot in order to end the Republican stranglehold on Georgia. 

These victories would protect our right to vote especially in light of the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, push back on gerrymandering that dilutes our voice, fight corporate corruption and data center intrusion in our neighborhoods, defend the civil rights of every Georgian, and lower the costs of housing, groceries, and power bills that keep rising while billionaires line their pockets.

We need high turnout from our largest Democratic counties to elect Democrats all the way down the ballot

There is still time, and the outcome is in our hands. If we all work together through the finish line this final week of early voting, we can turn out the voters who will decide these races. On November 4, we don’t want to wonder whether we did everything we could.

What will you do this week?

1. Vote early. If you haven’t yet, don’t wait another day. Early voting ends Friday, October 30.

2. Return your absentee ballot to a drop box. Find a location to return your ballot at votesaira.com/vote. If you have not received your absentee ballot yet, go ahead and vote in person if you can!

3. Knock doors in DeKalb and Clayton counties. Talk with your neighbors and give them the information they need to vote before early voting closes. Research shows door-to-door conversations are among the most effective ways to turn out voters.

Sign up for a shift today, and bring a friend.

Canvass from Saira’s porch

We will be out again this weekend and every weekend until election day. Talking to your neighbors is the most effective way to get out the vote.

• Find times and details here

• Meet Illinois Congressional candidate Daniel Biss, Sunday Oct 24 at 6 pm.

• More canvassing opportunities at votesaira.com/canvass.

Call voters to give them the information they need to vote early

• Find details for weekend and weekday phone banks

Remind 3 friends to vote

• Wave signs at early vote locations across DeKalb asking voters to remind 3 friends to vote. Find info here

Support our get-out-the-vote efforts

• The work we are doing to get out the vote and keep you informed would not be possible without your support. Please consider a donation today.

Join us for an update on the state of the election and a deeper dive into the data after the last weekend of early voting. Get the inside scoop from Rep. Saira Draper's team on the trends they've seen during Georgia's early voting period, and what it means for Democrats in DeKalb, Clayton, and the rest of Georgia for the critical midterm elections.

Join this webinar to learn more, ask questions, and get ready for the final push to Election Day on Nov 3rd.

When: Monday, October 26

Time: 7pm

Webinar link: https://mobilize.us/s/3tkucC

Yours in service,