Record number of early votes cast in Georgia as election gets underway in battleground state [Video]

A record number of early votes were cast in Georgia on Tuesday as residents headed to the polls in a critical battleground state that is grappling with the fallout from Hurricane Helene and controversial election administration changes that have spurred a flurry of lawsuits.More than 300,000 ballots were cast Tuesday, Gabe Sterling of the Georgia Secretary of State’s office said on X. “Spectacular turnout. We are running out of adjectives for this.”The previous first-day record was 136,000 in 2020, Sterling said.Related video above: Could AAPI voters help candidates win Georgia?The swing state is one of the most closely watched this election, with former President Donald Trump trying to reclaim it after losing there to President Joe Biden by a small margin four years ago, leading Trump and his allies to unsuccessfully push to overturn his defeat.Those efforts have loomed large this year as new changes to how the state conducts …