ATLANTA (AP) - Georgia’s U.S. Senate candidates made a final push to reach voters and get supporters to the polls Tuesday, as state officials tamped down concerns about the security of U.S. voting systems.
The presidential race in Georgia is closer than expected for a state that hasn’t backed a Democratic presidential candidate since 1992. Though neither Republican Donald Trump nor Democrat Hillary Clinton has focused on Georgia, the top of the ticket often outshone the U.S. Senate race between Republican Johnny Isakson and two challengers.
Isakson hasn’t been considered in jeopardy by national Republicans as they focus on keeping a slim majority in the Senate. But the tight presidential contest and Libertarian Allen Buckley’s spot on the ballot make Isakson’s path to a third term more difficult. Georgia law requires a runoff if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote.
Democrat Jim Barksdale spent the day in metro Atlanta, including an appearance with such top Democrats as U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson and the Rev. Raphael Warnock. Barksdale, a first-time candidate, continued his recent attacks tying Isakson to Trump.
“The Republicans have represented concern for self only, and it you don’t make it that’s on you,” Barksdale said. “And what we represent is a different philosophy, a philosophy that no one can go to bed rich in this country when some people are starving.”
Isakson wrapped up a three-day trip around the state on Monday at a county GOP office in Marietta. After introductions from most of the state’s top Republicans, Isakson told supporters that he’s feeling confident. Isakson made no mention of Barksdale or the presidential campaign.
“We’re going to go one way or another in terms of who controls the House, who controls the Senate, who controls the presidency of the United States of America,” Isakson said. “And regardless of the outcome, we’ve got to lock arms where we can, find common ground where we can and move forward for the people of the United States of America.”
As election officials across the state made final preparations to open polls Tuesday at 7 a.m., Georgia’s top elections official said residents don’t need to worry about the state’s election system.
Secretary of State Brian Kemp said his office has opened 25 investigations on a variety of reported issues during the early-voting period. Kemp says that is typical for a presidential year. He said none of the reports indicate widespread problems. Voters in several Georgia counties have reported issues with electronic voting machines that displayed incorrect candidate selections during early voting.
“I would say the preparation and the plans that we have for this election are unprecedented for the secretary of state’s office,” Kemp said.
Voting-rights groups plan to watch for any sign of trouble during the first presidential election since the Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the federal Voting Rights Act. Prior to the 2013 decision, Georgia was among nine states that had to get federal approval before changing election laws.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday that federal election monitors will be in Fulton, Gwinnett and Hancock counties, part of a national effort to place more than 500 staffers in 28 states. Brinkley Serkedakis, executive director of Common Cause Georgia, said a coalition of voting rights organizations separately trained 150 volunteers to monitor polling sites in 11 counties for long lines and other issues.
State officials report that more than 2.3 million of Georgia’s 6.6 million registered voters cast early ballots this year, breaking a record set in 2008. Lines of an hour or two were reported at sites around the state on Friday, the last opportunity for early voting.
Bruce and Bonnie Bonnett waited for about an hour in a line wrapping around a Sandy Springs library building Friday morning. Bonnie Bonnett, 72, said she has a doctor’s appointment Tuesday and didn’t want to leave anything to chance.
“I do typically like to wait until Election Day in case of any last-minute surprises,” said Bruce Bonnett, 73.
“I doubt there are any surprises left this year,” his wife responded.
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