Early Voting Favors Democrat Jon Ossoff In Georgia's Special Election

Turnout on the first day of early voting bodes well for Jon Ossoff , the leading Democratic candidate in the special election for Georgias 6th Congressional District, according to an analysis by Nate Cohn, The New York Times election expert.

Early voting began Monday in the race to fill a House seat vacated by Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price. Democrats are hoping to ride anger against President Donald Trump to an upset victory in the historically Republican district.

Democrats made up a solid majority of voters on the first day of voting in Georgias 6th District, in contrast to Republicans lopsided showing in the November election, according to Cohns look at the official data. He counted Democrats and Republicans based on the last primary each early voter participated in, information he retrieved from the public voter files of those who voted on Monday.

Dems 60, Rep 28 in Day 1 of in-person early voting in GA-6.
The 2016 electorate was D 23, R 46.
(partisanship based on last primary vote)

Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) March 28, 2017","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Nate Cohn","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Nate_Cohn","cache_age":86400,"description":"Dems 60, Rep 28 in Day 1 of in-person early voting in GA-6. The 2016 electorate was D 23, R 46.(partisanship based on last primary vote)— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) March 28, 2017\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Nate Cohn on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/Nate_Cohn/status/846531645272403968","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"58da6409e4b0f805b323b887","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/early-voting-favors-georgia-democrat_n_58da6409e4b0f805b323b887","entryTagsList":"donald-trump,us-news,republican-politics,us-presidential-elections,political-science,democratic-politics,democratic-party,us-congressional-elections,election-day,political-opinion-polls,georgia,tom-price,alyssa-milano,georgias-6th-congressional-district,jon-ossoff,@genassign,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":11},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"58da6409e4b0f805b323b887","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/donald-trump","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/donald-trump"},"relegenceId":2789214,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/donald-trump"},{"name":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-news","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-news"},"relegenceSubjectId":981465,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"World News","slug":"world-news"},"topic":{"title":"United States","slug":"united-states","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/united-states"},{"name":"Republican Politics","slug":"republican-politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/republican-politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/republican-politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":4944927,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Republican Party","slug":"republican-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/republican-party"},{"name":"u.s. presidential elections","slug":"us-presidential-elections","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-presidential-elections","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-presidential-elections","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-presidential-elections"},"relegenceSubjectId":6258423,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Elections 2016","slug":"elections-2016","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/elections-2016"},{"name":"political science","slug":"political-science","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/political-science","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/political-science","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/political-science"},"relegenceSubjectId":982061,"url":"https://action.news/topic/political-science"},{"name":"Democratic Politics","slug":"democratic-politics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/democratic-politics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-politics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-politics"},"relegenceSubjectId":4944926,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/democratic-party"},{"name":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/democratic-party","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-party","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/democratic-party"},"relegenceId":3851651,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Democratic Party","slug":"democratic-party","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/democratic-party"},{"name":"U.S. Congressional Elections","slug":"us-congressional-elections","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/us-congressional-elections","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/us-congressional-elections","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/us-congressional-elections"},"relegenceSubjectId":6258424,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Congressional Elections","slug":"congressional-elections","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/congressional-elections"},{"name":"Election Day","slug":"election-day","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/election-day","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/election-day","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/election-day"},"relegenceId":3535020,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Election Day","slug":"election-day","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/election-day"},{"name":"Political Opinion Polls","slug":"political-opinion-polls","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/political-opinion-polls","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/political-opinion-polls","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/political-opinion-polls"},"relegenceSubjectId":981674,"url":"https://action.news/topic/political-opinion-polls"},{"name":"Georgia","slug":"georgia","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/georgia","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/georgia","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/georgia"},"relegenceId":3470054,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Georgia","slug":"georgia","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/georgia"},{"name":"Tom Price","slug":"tom-price","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/tom-price","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/tom-price","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/tom-price"},"relegenceId":4488965,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Tom Price","slug":"tom-price","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/tom-price"},{"name":"alyssa milano","slug":"alyssa-milano","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/alyssa-milano","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/alyssa-milano","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/alyssa-milano"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/alyssa-milano"},{"name":"Georgia's 6th congressional district","slug":"georgias-6th-congressional-district","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/georgias-6th-congressional-district","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/georgias-6th-congressional-district","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/georgias-6th-congressional-district"},"relegenceId":3876870,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"U.S. News","slug":"us-news"},"topic":{"title":"Georgia","slug":"georgia","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/georgia"},{"name":"Jon Ossoff","slug":"jon-ossoff","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/jon-ossoff","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/jon-ossoff","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/jon-ossoff"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/jon-ossoff"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Dems 60, Rep 28 in Day 1 of in-person early voting in GA-6.
The 2016 electorate was D 23, R 46.
(partisanship based on last primary vote)
Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) March 28, 2017

However, there are good reasons not to read too much into data points like these.

Turnout in early voting, let alone the first day of early voting, is not necessarily indicative of the final outcome. And just because someone voted for a party in the most recent primary, it doesnt mean they will vote for that party in a general election.

Early general-election voting patterns in North Carolina and Florida , for example, appeared to favor Hillary Clinton , but she ended up losing both states in November.

Early voting in Georgias 6th will conclude on April 14, and Election Day itself is April 18.

The election is whats known as a jungle primary, in which members of both parties all compete to capture 50 percent of the vote. Unless one of them takes a majority of voters in the April race, there will be a runoff election between the top two contenders on June 20. Clearing the first round would not guarantee Ossoff victory in the final face-off.

These are just the very first tea leaves at the bottom of the teacup, said Michael McDonald, an election specialist at the University of Florida.

Still, Democrats are eager for any evidence that the backlash to Trumps policies is lifting their fortunes.

When Trump tapped Price for his Cabinet, grassroots liberals seized on the suddenly open House seat as an opportunity to test Democrats post-election enthusiasm and all voters growing distaste for the commander-in-chiefs performance. The liberal news site Daily Kos alone has raised $1 million toward the 30-year-old Ossoffs bid against nearly a dozen Republican contenders.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

Although the district has voted Republican consistently in the past, it is home to a more educated, wealthier type of Republican voter that has typically been more averse to Trumps populist style. While Price cruised to re-election by a 23-point margin in November, Trump defeated Clinton in the district by a mere percentage point.

Progressives from across the country are pulling out all the stops for Ossoff as voting begins. Liberal television star Alyssa Milano is offering free rides to the polls in an effort to drive up Ossoffs turnout.