Rural Georgia counties outpace Dem strongholds as Peach State shatters early voting records

Rural Georgians are voting early at a higher rate than those living in Democratic-leaning counties that were key to President Biden flipping the state blue in 2020, the most recent data show.

Of the state’s 159 counties, the top 23 for absentee and early in-person voter turnout were won by former President Donald Trump in 2020, according to the state's elections website.

That includes the rural counties of Towns, Oconee and Rabun – which have seen 69.06%, 65.51%, and 64.46% of their active voters already casting ballots...