NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — This upcoming election will be the first time voting for many young people across metro Atlanta.
On Wednesday, 18-year-old Kemala Byars walked inside a Covington polling place and cast her vote for president and other local races for the first time.
“It says I am a Georgia voter,” Byars told Channel 2′s Audrey Washington, as she placed her peach sticker on her jacket. “I voted for the first time,” Byars said.
According to recent polling, young people and first-time voters will make up a large portion of the electorate in the 2024 election.
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“It was important for me to vote because I’m a young Black woman and this election is going to have an impact on me myself,” said Byars.
“I was super excited. I wanted to vote for what I believe in and represent who I am,” 18-year-old Luke Smith said. “Went over to the screen, inserted my card, and voted for the first time.”
Washington asked both Smith and Byars what they wanted other young people to know about the importance of voting.
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“These days people have super strong opinions, so it’s important you get out and vote for what you believe in,” Smith said.
“If you want to make a change, I feel like you should vote. It affects everybody’s future so we should all go out and vote,” Byars added.
Georgia set a new record for early voting turnout after polling places opened Tuesday.
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