Following Joe Biden'due south narrow presidential win in Georgia, early voting is underway in the country'south Jan. v runoff election for two U.S. Senate seats, races that will determine whether both chambers of Congress are led by Democrats during the first years of the new administration. Once a reliably Republican state, Georgia has received much attention for the increasing racial and indigenous diversity of eligible voters in the land, which has highlighted the importance of Black voters and other fast-growing groups similar Latino and Asian voters.

Black voters in Georgia had the largest increase in registration since 2016

The number of Black registered voters in Georgia increased by almost 130,000 between Oct. eleven, 2016, and Oct. 5, 2020, the largest increase among all major racial and ethnic groups, co-ordinate to a Pew Research Eye assay of Georgia Secretarial assistant of State's Function information. Meanwhile, early reports suggest that turnout in Nov 2020 among Black registered voters increased compared with 2016, but not as much equally other groups.

The increase of 520,000 in new registered voters in Georgia since 2016 came from a variety of sources, as no single racial or ethnic group accounted for more than 25% of the newly registered. Fifty-fifty so, some groups of registered voters saw larger increases than others, shifting the overall racial and ethnic composition of registered voters.

The number of Latino and White registered voters increased by roughly the same amount, each past 95,000, despite there being far fewer Latino than White existing registered voters (260,000 vs. 3.eight 1000000). The number of Asian registered voters increased by 63,000, a substantial amount relative to the group's October. 5, 2020, total (188,000).

Related: Black eligible voters have accounted for virtually half of Georgia electorate'south growth since 2000

Roughly 72,000 newly registered voters (14%) did non disclose their race or ethnicity, while 56,000 (11% of newly registered voters) identify with other racial and ethnic groups. The number of Native American registered voters more than doubled from 6,000 in 2016 to 15,000 in 2020.

In improver, roughly 76,000 new voters accept reportedly registered betwixt the presidential election Oct. v deadline and the Dec. 7 U.Due south. Senate runoff registration deadline. Fewer than half (46%) of these new voters identified themselves every bit White.

White registered voters remain the largest group amongst all Georgians registered to vote, making up 53% in 2020 – down from 63% but before the 2008 election. Meanwhile, Black registered voters brand upwardly xxx% of the state's registered voters, little changed since 2008.

Latinos and Asian Americans make up a growing share of Georgia's registered voters, while the White share has steadily declined since 2008

While Latino and Asian registered voters each make upward relatively small shares of voters on Georgia's rolls, 4% and 3% respectively, both groups have grown rapidly. In 2008, each group made up only 1% of Georgia voters. The share of those who did non disclose their race or ethnicity increased from 4% to 9% during this fourth dimension.

Equally was the example with the remainder of the nation, Georgia's turnout among registered voters was up in Nov (69%) compared with 2016 (62%). However, turnout in the state remained below the levels seen in the 2012 and 2008 presidential elections.

Women make up a majority of registered voters across major racial and indigenous groups, especially among Black voters

Voter registration gender gap is larger for Black Americans than other groups

Women make upward a bulk (53%) of Georgia'southward registered voters. Notwithstanding, gender differences are larger amidst Black and Latino voters than amongst White and Asian voters.

In 2020, more than half (56%) of Black registered voters are women while 44% are men. And fifty-fifty as women make up a larger share of voters than men across racial and indigenous groups, the deviation is starkest amongst Black voters.

Among Latinos, women make up 53% of registered voters while men make up 47%. The gender balance among both Black and Latino registered voters is closer than it was in 2016.

Atlanta surface area has propelled Georgia's growing diverseness among registered voters

The Atlanta metropolitan expanse added 301,000 registered voters from 2016 to 2020 and accounted for a majority of the state's increment (58%) during this time. Overall, the metro surface area'southward iii.9 million registered voters business relationship for 54% of the land'southward registered voters in 2020. The Atlanta area, which had a turnout rate (70%) among registered voters, aided Biden's win. This was due in large part to support in suburban areas that once reliably backed Republican presidential candidates.

All 16 central counties in the metro saw higher numbers of registered voters in 2020 than in 2016. Growth was greatest in Forsyth, Paulding and Cherokee counties, where voter registration numbers rose past eighteen%, 17% and 16% respectively over 2016. Gwinnett County, i of the metro's nearly populated, also saw significant growth. It recorded 54,000 more registered voters in 2020 than in 2016 – a 10% increase.

Latinos and Asians increased as a share of registered voters in all Atlanta metro area counties

Amidst major racial and indigenous groups in the Atlanta metro area, the number of Blackness registered voters increased the most between 2016 and 2020 – by 115,000, or 9%. Henry and Rockdale counties saw the largest increment in Black registered voters as a share of their voter rolls, both having risen by 6 pct points to 45% and 54% respectively.

The number of Hispanic and Asian registered voters also increased significantly, especially relative to their population size in the metro area. At that place were 60% more than Hispanic registered voters in 2020 compared with 2016, up from 106,000 to 170,000. The number of Asian registered voters in the Atlanta area grew past 55% over the aforementioned period, from 99,000 to 152,000. Growth amidst Hispanic and Asian registered voters was especially notable in Gwinnett canton. As a share of the canton'south electorate, Hispanics and Asians saw both their shares increase by 3 per centum points, to 9% and 10%. Meanwhile, the Blackness electorate rose past 1 point and the White electorate dropped past 7 points in the county.

White registered voters saw their shares driblet in every central canton in the metro area, but declines were well-nigh notable in Forsyth and Henry counties, where their shares dropped by 9 points and 8 points respectively.

Luis Noe-Bustamante is a research analyst who studies race and ethnicity, Hispanic trends and migration/clearing at Pew Research Center.

Abby Budiman is a sometime research analyst focusing on race and ethnicity research at Pew Research Center.