VALDOSTA – Homecoming court wasn’t the only election on Valdosta State University’s agenda last week.

Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, State Rep. District 62 and Georgia Labor Commissioner candidate William Boddie Jr. and Georgia Senator and State Attorney General candidate Jen Jordan visited VSU alumni at the Divine Nine’s Homecoming tailgating picnic Saturday.

After all three candidates spent time meeting with Valdosta and Lowndes County Democratic voters about their policies and concerns, the trio took to addressing the tailgaters, with Abrams starting off by outlining her vision for “getting Georgia right.”

“We got a governor we need to fire because he doesn’t care, he won’t help and he’s done nothing but attack our freedom. He’s put guns on the street, put them in the hands of dangerous people, and if you’re a woman, he’s told you that you’re a second-class citizen in this Georgia,” she said.

“It took a man to break Georgia’s promises; it’s going to take a woman to put it right. We are going to take the state on Nov. 8 and we’re going to have more money in our pockets, more opportunities in our communities and more freedom in our lives. Let’s get it done,” she said.

She also encouraged the crowd to take advantage of early voting starting Oct. 17 and hope to have a “historical turnout” in the first week.

Boddie followed up Abrams remarks by addressing his platform initiatives, such as amplifying the voices of working-class Georgians through vocational programs, career centers, apprenticeship opportunities and labor unions.

In a statement to The Valdosta Daily Times, Boddie said visiting homecoming was important to him as he is a VSU alumni and he wanted more rural voters to know that their votes count across the board.

“Anywhere in the state of Georgia, we’re going to talk to voters about issues that they care about: living wages, making an opportunity for yourself and your family where you don’t have to go to job one and job two just to make ends meet, pension, affordable health care and a good quality of life,” he said.

Jordan addressed the crowd, sharing similar sentiments to Abrams and Boddie’s and promising to use the position as attorney general to protect voting rights and Georgia families should she be elected.

Early voting will take place Oct. 17 to Nov. 4 and will run 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and includes 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.

The Lowndes County Board of Elections is located at 2808 N. Oak St.