Live updates from Tuesday night: Polls are closed, some races in Macon & GA called. See results
Editor’s note: Results in this story will be regularly updated, even if our latest update time isn’t recent. Refresh the page for the latest results.
The polls for the 2024 elections closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Macon.
Voters will soon find out whether Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris or Republican former President Donald Trump have won the seat at the White House in a key election season. Several important local races are being decided this week too.
Early voting in Macon was strong. The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections said 45,276 voters cast their ballots before Election Day. That included 5,120 voters who cast their ballots by mail.
Macon election workers relieved
11:20 p.m. - Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections members were much less tense than they were during the local May primary.
Tom Gillon, county elections supervisor, threw his hands in the air with a wide grin when he realized all early voting, absentee and Election Day ballots were tabulated by around 10:15 p.m., just over three hours after polls closed.
Gillon was relieved everything went smoothly in the county, other than a short internet server issue. During the May primary, some districts received wrong ballots and the election board worked overnight to confirm results.
The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office also said no incidents in Macon related to the election were reported Tuesday.
“We appreciate all the voters coming out. Without the voters, we wouldn’t have a job,” Gillon said, chuckling.
Winner in Houston County sheriff’s race
10:30 p.m. - With all precincts reporting, Republican Matt Moulton has been elected sheriff in Houston County. Moulton will take the office that was occupied by longtime Sheriff Cullen Talton, who recently died while in office.
Sanford Bishop retains his Congress seat
10:20 p.m. - Rep. Sanford Bishop, the incumbent Democrat, won District 2 by defeating Wayne Johnson, according to the AP. The AP called the race before 10:30 p.m.
Brief server issues at Macon’s board of elections
9:30 p.m. - Two Georgia State Patrol troopers were originally assigned to post up at the secretary of state’s office in Atlanta, but unexpectedly landed in Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections Office.
Their assignment changed midday when the election office’s internet server temporarily went down, according to Sgt. Garrett Smith. The server allows the county to upload election results to the secretary of state’s website.
“It was working by the time we got here,” Smith said.
Dale Washburn wins GA District 144
9:02 p.m. - Incumbent state Rep. Dale Washburn, a Republican, has held his seat in Georgia’s statehouse by defeating Democrat Anita Hyland, according to the AP. Washburn’s win was called at 9:02 p.m., and he held more than 70% of the vote at that time.
Anissa Jones wins GA District 143
8:40 p.m. - Democrat Anissa Jones has won Georgia House District 143, according to the Associated Press. Jones defeated Republican Barbara Boyer. The race was called just before 8:40 p.m., with Jones carrying more than 62% of the votes at the time.
Rep. Austin Scott reelected
8:07 p.m. - The Associated Press has called the race for Georgia’s U.S. House District 8, declaring incumbent Republican Austin Scott the winner. Scott had a margin advantage greater than 30% when the race was called. Scott defeated Democrat Darrius Butler.
Voting sites deliver ballots, polls close
7:50 p.m. - Election workers were wrapping up at polling locations in Macon-Bibb County by 7 p.m.
Jamie Bryant, poll manager at Bruce Elementary School, speed-walked to the front door of the voting site and yelled at the empty parking lot, “It is 7 o’clock and the polls are closed.”
There were no voters at the site by that time. Most voters showed up to the elementary school between 3-5 p.m., according to a “two-hour vote counter” paper posted outside the precinct’s door.
Bryant explained how the polling location was closing down before handing over ballots and microchips to the Board of Elections.
“Once we start closing everything down, and the papers start printing, it alerts the [elections board] that our poll is closed,” Bryant told The Telegraph. The Board of Elections can see live updates from each precinct through an online election system.
Once ballots and tabulators are packed up, they would be driven by a courier followed by an undercover deputy to the elections office at Macon Mall, Bryant explained.
“It’s all sealed, and I have to seal it and actually put a real seal that nobody can break into and get to that,” Bryant said.
Check back with us to find out the results of the elections below:
Local sheriff’s races
There are sheriff’s offices up for grabs in three Middle Georgia counties: Crawford, Peach and Houston. Here are the latest vote totals for those races.
Crawford County
Peach County
Houston County
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 7:00 PM.