How the Grady community voted

Unable to vote in the 2018 midterm elections, Franky Fernandez chose to vote in the 2020 election via a mail-in ballot. Currently enrolled at Harvard University, Fernandez wouldn't have been able to vote in person in Georgia and therefore chose to use an absentee ballot.  "I voted via absentee ballot because while I'm in Massachusetts for school, I wanted my vote to be represented in my home...

Georgia State University and Grady graduate Elijah Sullivan voted early this cycle with his mother at the Coan Rec Center. Sullivan has voted with his mother since he turned 18 but this year decided to cast an early ballot.  "I chose (to vote early in person) because I felt that during a pandemic, voting early would be the best way to try and be safer and avoid a crowd. I decided against mail-in...

"I voted for Biden by mail-in ballot because I wanted to avoid the risks of Covid-19 at a polling location," Thompson said. "I voted for Biden because I believe he will be a more moderate and dependable president than Trump. All-in-all the voting process was very easy."

Junior Jack Kast went to State Farm Arena with his mom, Sara Kast, where she cast her early ballot. Sara Kast is an English as a second or foreign language teacher with Fulton County Schools. The Kast family, which also includes sophomore Grace Kast, have watched all the debates together during this election cycle. "We were in and out with 15 minutes and we had free parking and we got to go on the...

"I voted in person during early voting because I wanted to make sure my vote would be counted early, and I thought that was the most reliable way," McGary said. "The process for me was very smooth. I voted at State Farm Arena and the line there was pretty short."

"I voted early because it was easy and I am working as a poll worker on Election Day," Palaian said. "The voting process was easy and simple. It only took 15 minutes." 

First-time voter and current Senior Abby Edlein decided to cast an early ballot this year with her parents and older sister due to concerns over voter suppression in Georgia.  "I chose to vote early at the Mercedes Benz Stadium because I wanted to vote in person, without having to wait in the lines of Election Day," Edlein said." I didn't want to use a mail-in ballot because of Georgia's history...

“I voted blue all the way. Biden, Ossoff, and Warnock,” Weber said. “I chose to vote this way because I don’t want my rights and my friends’ rights to be up for debate. I don’t want a president who believes in eugenics to be running the country. I early voted and went to the High Museum. Voting was super fast, took 20 minutes, and overall was easy for me. But I know that I am privileged...

"I voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris because we need a president who will restore decency, honesty, and democracy to our country," Hallett said. "These are all things that I feel have been slipping away over the past four years. I voted early at the State Farm Arena and it rocked."

Both Daniel Goldman and Daniel Poss chose to cast their first electoral ballot early at State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta. The arena was converted into an early voting location in partnership between the Atlanta Hawks and Fulton County and was open from Oct. 12-30.  "I voted early in person at State Farm Arena," said Goldman. "When I went, there was no line, and it was super easy. I chose...

I voted early at State Farm Arena. I wanted to vote early because I liked the certainty of doing it in person and it seemed too important to wait until the last day. I didn’t know then that early votes are counted as absentee votes, but I probably would have made the same choice. The process was very easy and a little fun. It was quick, felt safe and everyone had an air of excitement.