Early voters in Georgia face obstacles under state’s new election law

Unlimited challenges to eligibility and poorly trained poll workers cause frustration in key gubernatorial and US Senate contests

Jennifer Jones, a Morehouse School of Medicine PhD student, showed up to her precinct in Fulton county, Georgia, on the second day of early voting for the midterm elections. She was excited to cast her ballot for her chosen candidates in the gubernatorial and Senate races, Stacey Abrams and Senator Raphael Warnock. However, when she reached the check-in station at the polling site, she was informed that she would be unable to cast a regular ballot because her validity as a voter was challenged.

When I handed in my ID, the poll worker said I was being challenged," said Jones. They said I had to complete a provisional ballot, but I wasn't really comfortable doing that, so I didn't get to cast my ballot that day."