Early voting is now underway for the April 7 runoff election in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, where Republican Clay Fuller and Democrat Shawn Harris are battling for the seat left vacant by Marjorie Taylor Greene earlier this year.
Early voting ends Thursday April 2nd, Runoff Election Day Tuesday April 7th
For most of the district, the race is centered in northwest Georgia counties such as Floyd, Bartow, Paulding and Whitfield. But a section of west Cobb County is also part of the district, meaning some Cobb voters will have a say in who heads to Washington.
According to turnout figures posted by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, thousands of voters across the district have already cast ballots. While Cobb’s overall geographic share remains relatively small with only 29 precincts included in the district, they represent roughly 22% percent of the eligible voters in the race.
The numbers so far suggest turnout is respectable for a spring special election runoff, but not unusually high. Election observers note that runoff elections almost always see a drop in participation from the first round because there are fewer candidates on the ballot and less public attention.
Mail-in-ballot requests have also been modest. While some voters continue to prefer absentee voting, the totals remain far below what Georgia experienced during the pandemic years and the 2020 presidential cycle. For a congressional runoff held in early April, however, the absentee numbers appear fairly typical.
Several counties in northwest Georgia are reporting a steady stream of early voters. Floyd County and Paulding County, two of the largest population centers in the district, are expected to be key battlegrounds. Bartow, Polk and Whitfield counties are also expected to produce strong turnout for Republicans.
Politically, Clay Fuller appears to enter the runoff with the advantage
The 14th District is one of the most Republican areas in Georgia. Former President Donald Trump carried the district comfortably, and Republicans have consistently posted large margins in congressional races throughout northwest Georgia.
Harris, however, is hoping to keep the race competitive by building on stronger Democratic performance in parts of Cobb and Paulding counties. Democrats also believe runoff elections can sometimes produce surprises if one side is more motivated than the other.
Still, the numbers appear to favor Fuller. Republican candidates collectively received far more votes than Democrats during the first round of the special election, giving Fuller a larger base of likely runoff voters.
With Election Day approaching, local elections officials are encouraging voters to cast ballots early and avoid possible lines on April 7.
- Clay Fuller campaign website: https://clayfullerforgeorgia.com/
- Shawn Harris campaign website: https://www.shawnforgeorgia.com/
- Cobb County advance voting information: https://www.cobbcounty.gov/elections/voting/advance-voting
