ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Former President Barack Obama headlined a packed campaign rally in Clayton County on Wednesday, urging Georgia Democrats to turn out before early in-person voting ends Friday. The stop came as Georgia surpassed 2 million ballots cast, breaking midterm participation records, according to state election data reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Democratic organizers face a participation lag in Atlanta’s urban core compared with strong turnout in surrounding suburban counties. Party leaders sent Obama to deep-blue Clayton County to reverse that trend, aiming to mobilize Black and young voters behind Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms and U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff. “It’s the circuit breaker in the system, and we need to flip it,” Obama told the cheering arena crowd, arguing the midterm vote serves as a direct check on rising inflation and federal governance. Thousands of supporters lined the sidewalk outside the Arena at Southlake hours before doors opened. Inside, the energy mirrored a concert, with performances by the Clark Atlanta University marching band and artist Janelle Monáe. For local voters in line, early participation carried personal weight. “We died for rights to vote,” said Clayton County voter Mabel Curtis. “And our health care, our children, our seniors, the entire humanity depends on the state going blue.” Bottoms is in a tight contest with self-funding Republican billionaire Rick Jackson, whom she…
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