The scenario is mostly uplifting because much like the Civil Rights Movement organizing against Jim Crow 1.0, it appears that similar efforts and enthusiasm may be in play in Georgia right now – not enough to help Stacy Abrams a few weeks ago, but it looks like enough to secure a Warnock win. As I noted a couple of days ago, the weekend saw large turnouts in the blue counties which were open for early voting despite the Republicans’ failed lawsuit attempt to shut it down on Saturday. But it didn’t end there. Turnout is breaking records, and in all of the right areas for a Warnock win. Of course, as we know the bulk of Republican turnout will be next Tuesday. Still, it’s good to have votes banked!

But there is definitely suppression, and it takes different forms. Obviously, shrinking the early voting from four weeks to one will make a difference in ultimate turnout. We have no idea how many votes are being negated for lack of meeting the requirements including but not limited to photo I.D. People waiting in line cannot be given food or water, because, you know that someone who has waited for two hours to vote will change their mind as to whom they will vote for if bribed by a slice of pizza or bottle of water.

But the lines which are generating waits sometimes as long as three hours are definitely deterring some voters who simply do not have that kind of time to spare. There are people driving to their polling places and deciding to come back when they see lines extending down the block. It looks uplifting, but it is the manifestation of suppression – because money for machines and voting space is not allocated proportionately to the voting population in the community. Through this link you can find links to waiting times being reported by certain counties – most of them urban or suburban. And you can see that the further you are from Atlanta proper, the less waiting time is involved. In other words, these lines are longest in the urban areas – where most of the black voters vote.

The good news is that black voters have responded despite, or perhaps even because of, the suppression moves. And through this link you can see that turnout is high in the Atlanta metropolitan area, and so far lower in most of the rural areas (particularly up in the northwest corner of the state where MTG dwells). Now compare that map to the November results, and you will see that it’s working pretty well for Democrats. One exception is Chatham County which contains Savanah – the Democrats really need some GOTV down there. But in most of the other areas, they’re doing pretty well. But also note the low black turnout in the rural areas on one of the maps through this link.

The line to vote at the board of elections in Macon, Ga. stretched around the corner from the front door and into a half hour wait by around 1pm on the final day of early voting Friday.