STORY: Large turnout for early voters in U.S. swing state Georgia, with focus on economy, people's rights
SHOOTING TIME: Oct. 23, 2024
DATELINE: Oct. 25, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:31
LOCATION: ATLANTA, U.S.
CATEGORY: POLITICS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of people casting ballots in Georgia
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SEDRICK HAMNER, U.S. voter
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NANCY GOUDE, U.S. voter
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ROMY GOLDMAN, U.S. voter
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): GEORGE PILIBOSIAN, U.S. voter

STORYLINE:

Early votes hit a record high in the U.S. battleground state of Georgia as a big proportion of voters have already made up their minds on key issues and who to vote for.

As many as 2.15 million, among 7.2 million active voters in total, have cast their ballots in the Peach State's early voting as of Wednesday, according to data issued by the Election Lab with the University of Florida as well as the Georgia Secretary of State.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SEDRICK HAMNER, U.S. voter
"I'm supporting the candidate who hopefully is going to perpetuate democracy, as we know it. And then there's the kitchen table issues that are important to me. Inflation, taxes, price of goods, gas, cost of living, wages. Those things are vitally important to me. So I cast my vote in that direction for the candidate that I think is going to work for the good of common people."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): NANCY GOUDE, U.S. voter
"We're country people. Where it was 25 dollars is now 60 dollars. So the stuff that we used to do and we don't get to do it anymore, because it costs so much.
My grandchildren and the country they're going to grow up in. I would like for them to have opportunities like I had and like my children had."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ROMY GOLDMAN, U.S. voter
"Main consideration. Something true, someone that's good for the country, believes in human rights, women's rights."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): GEORGE PILIBOSIAN, U.S. voter
"The government should not tell us what to do with our own bodies, whether you're a woman or a man. That I think is number one. The economy of course is big."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Atlanta, U.S.
(XHTV)