Huge GOP Turnout Half-Way Through Early Voting Brightens Hopes for Coach

By the close of business on Wednesday, Oct. 23, the half-way point in early voting, Republican-leaning voting sites in East Baton Rouge Parish had received more than three times the number of early votes as Democrat-leaning sites.

The two Democrat-leaning sites are the Motor Vehicles office in Baker and City Hall in downtown Baton Rouge.

The three Republican-leaning sites are the Central Library in the City of Central, the Fire Station on Coursey Boulevard, and the State Archives Building on Essen.

As of Wednesday, Oct 23, 2024, vote totals were as follows:

• Baker – 5,729

• Downtown – 2,819

Dem Sites Total – 8,549

• Central – 7,123

• Coursey – 8,167

• Essen – 14,508

GOP Sites Total – 29,798

These numbers include those who voted early in person and those who have returned mail ballots. On a racial basis, white voters are turning out at a significantly higher rate than black and other voters.

The turnout numbers could bode well for Coach Sid Edwards, Republican nominee for Mayor-President.

At press time, the breakdown on a racial basis had been updated through Wednesday, Oct. 23.

At that time, the Secretary of State’s office said the following had voted:

Whites – 29,291

Blacks – 16,859

Others – 1,938

East Baton Rouge Parish has the following registered voters:

Whites – 142,457

Blacks – 129,460

Others – 19,132

This means that as of Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, voter turnout was as follows:

Whites – 20.6 percent

Blacks – 13.0 percent

Others – 10.1 percent

Early voting continues through Tuesday, Oct. 29. So there is time for these numbers to change dramatically.  Both parties will continue to urge their voters to go to the polls and not miss the chance to make a difference in the election.