>> FROM THE LOCAL STATION MORNING SHOW STARTS NOW. ♪
>>LAUREN VERNO: STORES ARE
OPEN AT POLLING PLACES ACROSS
GEORGIA AND THIS IS A LIVE
LOOK AT A PRECINCT IN CAMDEN
COUNTY. GOOD MORNING,
EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR
CHOOSING US THIS MORNING.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: AFTER SEEING
RECORD EARLY VOTING, GEORGIANS
CAN NOW CAST THEIR BALLOTS IN
PERSON.
>>BRUCE HAMILTON: GEORGIA’S
PRIMARY IS GETTING NATIONAL
ATTENTION FOR A COUPLE OF
REASONS. FIRST TO GAUGE FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S IN
DURRANCE AS A GOP KINGMAKER.
IT’S ALSO THE FIRST TEST OF
GEORGIA’S NEW VOTING LAW NEWS.
4 JAX REPORTER ASHLEY HARDING
IS LIVE IN CAMDEN COUNTY. AND
ASHLEY REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS ARE HOPING FOR A BIG
TURNOUT.
>>LAUREN VERNO: THEY CERTAINLY
ARE IN THE POLLS OPENED JUST A
COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO, REALLY
JUST ONE MINUTE AGO WE HEARD A
GUY HERE IN CAMDEN COUNTY SAY
THE POLLS ARE NOW OPEN. SO
I’LL STEP OUT OF THE WAY AND
JUST SHOW YOU SEE A COUPLE
PEOPLE STANDING IN THE
DOORWAY. THESE FOLKS JUST
ARRIVED LITERALLY IN THE LAST
3 TO 4 MINUTES OR SO. THEY ARE
READY HERE TO CAST THEIR
BALLOT AGAIN. IT IS THE EAST
KING’S LYNN OF VOTING
PRECINCT, OF COURSE, IN CAMDEN
COUNTY. WHILE LOTS OF PEOPLE
PREFER TO VOTE ON ELECTION
DAY, GEORGIA DID SEE A RECORD
TURNOUT FOR EARLY VOTING AND
THAT HAS GOTTEN NATIONAL
ATTENTION. SO BY THE END OF
THE 3 A WEEK EARLY VOTING
PERIOD, THE SECRETARY OF
STATE’S OFFICE SAID 857,40401
PEOPLE VOTED.
>>LAUREN VERNO: EITHER IN
PERSON OR THROUGH AN ABSENTEE
BALLOT. THAT’S ABOUT 3 TIMES
AS MANY AS DURING THE SAME
PERIOD IN THE 2018 PRIMARY.
THE RECORD-SETTING PACE COMES
DESPITE NEW RULES AND
RESTRICTIONS PASSED AFTER THE
LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. SO
THOSE VOTER ID REQUIREMENTS
FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS, A
LIMITED USE OF BALLOT DROP
BOXES. PLUS, STATE OFFICIALS
BEGAN OVERSEEING LOCAL
ELECTIONS BOARDS AND
APPROACHING VOTERS IN LINE TO
GIVE THEM FOOD OR WATER BECAME
A CRIME. NOW, GEORGIA
SECRETARY OF STATE WHO IS
AMONG THOSE RUNNING FOR
REELECTION, SAYS THE TURNOUT
DEMONSTRATES THE STATE’S NEW
ELECTION LAW STRUCK A GOOD
BALANCE BETWEEN THE GUARDRAILS
OF ACCESS AND SECURITY
ACTIVISTS SAY THE RECORD EARLY
VOTING NUMBERS ARE THE RESULT
OF GRASSROOTS EDUCATIONAL
EFFORTS AND VOTING RIGHTS
EVENTS. HIGH IN-PERSON TURNOUT
IS ALSO EXPECTED NOW. BOTH
PARTIES ARE DIRECTING VOTERS
TO THE STATE’S ELECTION FRAUD
COMPLAINT HOTLINE CALL THIS
NUMBER. IF YOU HAVE A
COMPLAINT ABOUT VOTER
INTIMIDATION OR ILLEGAL
ELECTION ACTIVITIES, LOOKING
LIVE ONCE AGAIN, THE DOORS
JUST OPENED LITERALLY 3
MINUTES AGO. SO IT’S STILL A
LITTLE BIT SLOW. EXPECT TO SEE
THAT FOOT TRAFFIC START TO
PICK UP. JUST AS A REMINDER,
THOUGH, YOU NEED TO BE IN THE
LINE. NO LATER THAN A 7
O’CLOCK TONIGHT IN ORDER TO
VOTE REPORTING LIVE IN CAMDEN
COUNTY, ASHLEY HARDING,
CHANNEL 4, THE LOCAL STATION.
>>BRUCE HAMILTON: GEORGIA
GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP FACING 4
CHALLENGERS IN HIS REELECTION
BID. THEY ARE CATHERINE DAVIS,
DAVID PERDUE, CANDACE TAYLOR
AND TOM WILLIAMS. KEY
ENDORSEMENTS COULD MAKE ALL
THE DIFFERENCE. FORMER VICE
PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE
CAMPAIGNED WITH CAMP LAST
NIGHT. THEY FOCUS THEIR
MESSAGE ON DEFEATING DEMOCRAT
STACEY ABRAMS COME FALL AFTER
THE RALLY, TRUMP HELD ONE OF
HIS OWN OVER THE PHONE ASKING
VOTERS TO SUPPORT PURDUE HE
BLAMED CAN FOR FAILING TO
OVERTURN PRESIDENT BIDEN’S WIN
DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION 4 YEARS AGO. KEMP’S
LEAD MOST RECENT POLLS. THE
LATEST REAL CLEAR POLITICS
AVERAGE GIVING THE GOVERNOR A
22 POINT ADVANTAGE OVER PURDUE
JUST MORE THAN 50% TO AVOID A
RUNOFF. THE WINNER WILL FACE
STACEY ABRAMS IN NOVEMBER’S
AND SHE’S RUNNING BASICALLY ON
THE PROS FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
SHE WANTS TO CAP TUNE AND 2018
ABRAMS HOPES TO ENERGIZE
VOTERS SAYING SHE WANTS TO
MAKE GEORGIA THE BEST STATE IN
THE COUNTRY IN WHICH TO LIVE.
>>JENNIFER WAUGH: IT IS 4
MINUTES AFTER 7 O’CLOCK.
THERE’S ALSO A CROWDED FIELD
IN THE REPUBLICAN SENATE
PRIMARY. 6 CANDIDATES ARE
VYING FOR A SPOT ON THE
NOVEMBER BALLOT. SO THEY GARY
BLACK. JOSH CLARK, CALVIN
KING. JONATHAN, THE COLUMN
SADLER AND HERSCHEL WALKER
WALKER HAS FORMER PRESIDENT
DONALD TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENT. BY
THE WAY, AND THE WINNER WILL
TAKE ON DEMOCRAT TAMRA JOHNSON
SHELEY OR SENATOR RAPHAEL
WARNOCK WHO WAS ELECTED. YOU
MAY REMEMBER GEORGIA’S FIRST
BLACK SENATOR LAST YEAR.
REPUBLICAN SECRETARY OF STATE
BRAD RAFFENSPERGER IS ALSO
FIGHTING TO KEEP HIS JOB
AGAINST 3 CHALLENGERS. JODY
HICE, T J HUDSON AND DAVIS.
BELLE ISLE. TRUMP IS BACKING
HEIST IN THIS RACE AND SAYS IT
RAFFENSBERGER SHARES IN THE
BLAME FOR HIS LOSS TO
PRESIDENT JOE BROUGHT BIDEN
AND THE WINNER WILL FACE ONE
OF THESE 4 DEMOCRATS, D
DAWKINS HAGLE HAIGLER EXCUSE
ME, JOHN EAVES. FLOYD GRIFFIN