District 157 Early Voting Update: 4,660 Ballots Cast, Key Trends, and What Rural Turnout Means for 2026

With 12 days remaining until Election Day on November 3, advance voting is actively underway across Georgia House District 157.

According to early voting data compiled by GeorgiaVotes.com from state election file extracts (October 22, 2026 morning snapshot), 4,660 voters across Appling, Evans, Jeff Davis, and Tattnall Counties have cast accepted ballots.

With no incumbent running in District 157 this cycle, voter participation across all four counties will decide who represents the district in the Georgia General Assembly.

Below is an objective overview of what this early voting snapshot reports regarding voter participation, demographic breakdowns, and upcoming statutory voting deadlines. Turnout figures update daily as county election boards upload processing rosters to the state election system.

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1. Topline Turnout Numbers in District 157

Across District 157, there are 36,921 registered voters. The 4,660 accepted ballots reported through the morning of October 22 represent an overall turnout rate of 12.6%.

Voting Metric	Reported Snapshot	Share of Total	Sourcing & Context
Registered Voters in HD-157	36,921	100.0%	Registered voters in HD-157 reported by GeorgiaVotes
Total Accepted Ballots Reported	4,660	12.6%	Accepted ballots reported in Oct 22 morning snapshot
In-Person Advance Voting	4,366	93.7%	In-person votes cast at county advance voting sites
Mail-In Absentee Ballots	294	6.3%	Returned and accepted by-mail ballots
Absentee Applications Submitted	4,954	-	Total mail-in absentee applications submitted

Of the 4,660 accepted ballots reported in this snapshot, 93.7% have been cast in person at county advance voting sites rather than returned by mail.

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2. Demographic Breakdowns of Early Voters

The dataset provides a descriptive snapshot of participation by age, gender, and racial categories among voters who have cast ballots so far.

Turnout by Age Group

Voters age 50 and older account for the majority of ballots cast to date:

Age Bracket	Ballots Cast	Share of Ballots Cast
65+	2,713	58.2%
50 - 64	1,188	25.5%
40 - 49	355	7.6%
18 - 29	216	4.6%
30 - 39	188	4.0%

Note: Percentages sum to 99.9% due to decimal rounding.

Voters age 50 and older account for 83.7% (3,901 votes) of all accepted ballots, while voters under age 40 represent 8.7% (404 votes). These figures show the composition of ballots cast so far, rather than turnout rates within each demographic group.

Turnout by Gender

• Female Voters: 2,524 votes (54.2%)
• Male Voters: 2,130 votes (45.7%)
• Unknown / Unspecified: 6 votes (0.1%)

Turnout by Race

• White: 3,307 votes (71.0%)
• Black: 1,108 votes (23.8%)
• Other: 138 votes (3.0%)
• Hispanic: 94 votes (2.0%)
• Asian: 13 votes (0.3%)

Note: Category labels match the Georgia Secretary of State reporting extract. Percentages sum to 100.1% due to decimal rounding.

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3. General Election History: 2022 Participation

The GeorgiaVotes dataset also reports the 2022 general election participation history of individuals casting ballots in this election:

• 74.7% (3,480 voters) voted early in the 2022 general election.
• 12.7% (594 voters) voted on Election Day in 2022.
• 12.6% (586 voters) did not vote in the 2022 general election.

Among the 4,660 people who have cast ballots so far in the 2026 general election, 586 did not cast a ballot in the 2022 general election. The available data does not establish whether these individuals were registered at that time.

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4. Key Deadlines and Early Voting Schedule

With advance voting continuing through Friday, October 30, voters should note two key statutory dates:

Friday, October 23: Absentee Ballot Application Deadline

Under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-381), the statutory deadline to submit an Absentee Ballot Application for the November general election is Friday, October 23, 2026. Voters can request and track mail-in ballots directly through the Georgia My Voter Page (mvp.sos.ga.gov).

Saturday, October 24: Mandatory Saturday Early Voting

Under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-385, Georgia law requires two mandatory Saturdays of advance voting. The second and final Saturday opportunity takes place on Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM across all four county election offices.

This Saturday session provides an accessible voting window for residents who are unable to visit county offices during standard weekday business hours.

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5. Early Voting Locations and Operating Hours

Early voting is open to every registered voter in their respective home county. You do not need a special reason or excuse to cast your ballot during advance voting.

County	Early Voting Facility	Weekday Hours	Saturday, Oct 24 Hours
Appling County	Appling County Board of Elections 83 S Oak St, Baxley, GA 31513	Mon - Fri: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Evans County	Evans County Courthouse Annex 201 Freeman St, Suite 8, Claxton, GA 30417	Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Jeff Davis County	Jeff Davis County Elections Office 14 Jeff Davis St, Hazlehurst, GA 31539	Mon - Fri: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tattnall County (Reidsville)	Tattnall County Board of Elections 114 W Brazell St, Reidsville, GA 30453	Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM	9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tattnall County (Glennville)	Southeastern Tech School 209 Bolton St, Glennville, GA 30427	Oct 26 - Oct 30 Only: Mon - Fri: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM	Not open Saturday

Note: In Evans County, the elections office is in Suite 8 of the Courthouse Annex (Suite 4 is the Tax Commissioner). In Tattnall County, the secondary Glennville advance voting site at Southeastern Tech operates during the final week of advance voting (October 26 - 30). Voters are encouraged to confirm their precinct registration directly on the Georgia My Voter Page before heading out.

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6. What Is on the Ballot in District 157?

When voters arrive at the polls, they will decide local representation and state constitutional policy:

• Georgia House District 157 Race: A contested open-seat legislative election between Democratic nominee Micah King and Republican nominee Bradley Anderson. A side-by-side comparison of where both candidates stand on rural emergency care, utility rates, and public school funding is available in our District 157 Candidates Guide.
• Constitutional Amendment 1 (HR 32): A proposed statewide constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would double the maximum enrollment limit for agricultural and timber land under the Conservation Use Value Assessment (CUVA) program from 2,000 to 4,000 acres. Details on this measure are available in our Georgia 2026 Ballot Measures Guide.
• Key Regional Policy Priorities: In addition to certified ballot questions, voters across the district are actively weighing community issues, including rural hospital solvency in Claxton, Baxley, and Hazlehurst, as well as climbing electric rates documented in our report on Why Power Bills Are Climbing in Southeast Georgia.

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Voting Access and Rural Participation

In rural districts like House District 157, advance voting hours and mandatory weekend sessions play a practical role for shift workers, agricultural operators, and commuters traveling across county lines.

Throughout the campaign, Micah King has emphasized that accessible advance voting opportunities across Appling, Evans, Jeff Davis, and Tattnall Counties ensure rural working families have a direct voice in state legislative decisions regarding local healthcare infrastructure, utility oversight, and public school funding.

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Practical Checklist Before Voting

1. Verify Your Registration & Sample Ballot: Confirm your active voter status and view your precinct sample ballot on the Georgia My Voter Page (mvp.sos.ga.gov).
2. Bring Approved Photo Identification: Georgia law requires voters to present an approved government photo ID at the polls. Review the official list of accepted documents on the Georgia Secretary of State Photo ID Page.
3. Check County Hours: Review facility locations and daily operating hours in our District 157 Early Voting Guide.
4. Consider Saturday Advance Voting: If weekday work makes visiting the elections office difficult, cast your ballot during the final statewide Saturday early voting session on Saturday, October 24 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM).