2024 GEORGIA VOTER GUIDE
1. Voter Registration
Deadline to Register/Update: October 7, 2024
2. Check Your Registration
Why check your registration? Your address is where election officials send notices, application forms to receive your ballot in the mail, and more. Additionally, poll workers will check if the address on your voter registration matches the address on your ID at the polls.
Checklist:
- Is your name spelled correctly? (Correct hyphenations, middle initials, etc)
- Correct Address
- Active Voter Status (if not update by sending in another online/mail voter application)
- Correct Date of Birth
- Correct Political Party Preference
- Take a time-stamped photograph or screenshot of your registration, and take it with you to the polls as proof of your registration.
3. Voter ID Law
Source: Ballotpedia
Georgia requires voters to present photo identification (ID) while voting. Accepted forms of ID include Georgia driver’s licenses or ID cards, U.S. passports, and U.S. military ID. For a list of all accepted forms of ID, see below.
Voters can obtain a free voter ID card from any county registrar’s office or Department of Driver Services Office. Click here for more information on obtaining a free voter ID card in Georgia.
Voters who do not have photo ID while voting may cast provisional ballots. See below for provisional ballot rules.
Voter ID Law
Georgia’s voter ID requirements are outlined in Section 21-2-417 of state law. The law states, “Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, each elector shall present proper identification to a poll worker at or prior to completion of a voter’s certificate at any polling place and prior to such person’s admission to the enclosed space at such polling place.” To view the full text of the law, click here.
Forms of accepted ID
Georgia requires voters to present photo identification while voting in person or by mail/absentee.[1]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of August 2024. Click here for the Georgia Secretary of State’s page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
- Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
- A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired
- Student ID from a Georgia public College or University[2]
- Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
- Valid U.S. passport ID
- Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
Voters can obtain a free voter ID card from any county registrar’s office or Department of Driver Services Office. Click here for more information on obtaining a free voter ID card in Georgia.
Provisional ballot rules
Voters in Georgia are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.[4][5]
1) If the voter does not have the proper identification, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
2) If the voter registered to vote by mail and did not provide any identification at the time and is unable to do so the first time the voter votes in person, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.
3) If the voter’s name does not appear on the list of registered voters in the precinct, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot. If the voter is registered in the same county but appears at the wrong precinct during the period between 5:00 p.m. and the close of polls, the voter must “execute a sworn statement, witnessed by the poll official, stating that he or she is unable to vote at his or her correct polling place prior to the closing of the polls and giving the reason therefor” before voting a provisional ballot.
4) If “the polling place is kept open after 7:00 p.m. because of a court order, anyone arriving after 7:00 p.m. will vote by provisional ballot.”
A provisional ballot is accepted in the following circumstances:
- If the voter provided proper identification three days after the close of the polls to the county registrar office, the vote will count.
- If a provisional ballot is cast because the voter’s “name did not appear on the list of registered voters in the precinct, the county registrar has up to three days after the election to determine if you were properly registered to vote in that election.” If the voter is properly registered, the vote will count.[4]
- If the voter voted in the wrong precinct, “only the votes for candidates for which you were entitled to vote will be counted, and you will be notified in writing that your ballot was partially counted for your correct precinct.”[4]
A provisional ballot is rejected in the following circumstances:[6]
- If the voter is not registered to vote;
- If the voter is ineligible to vote for some reason; and
- If the registrar is “unable to determine within three days following the election whether the voter was registered or eligible to vote.”
4. Order Your Mail Ballot
Deadline to request absentee mail ballot: October 25, 2024
We recommend requesting your absentee mail ballot as soon as possible and well in advance of this deadline in order to ensure that you receive your ballot in time.
Request a Mail-In Ballot” color=”blue”] Track Your Mail-In Ballot[/button]
Deadline to return Absentee Mail Ballot: Must be received no later than POLL CLOSING TIME ON NOVEMBER 5, 2024
Filled out absentee mail ballots may also be dropped off at a secure drop-box location in your county. Find a drop-box location in your county here: https://www.georgiademocrat.org/voting-information-and-resources/find-my-countys-ballot-drop-boxes/
Surrendering Your Absentee Ballot:
Georgia has the Surrender Rule.
If a voter requested an absentee ballot but wishes to vote at their regular polling place instead, they must bring their absentee ballot to the poll manager of the precinct in which their name appears on the electors list. They will then be given a regular ballot to vote with.
If you have not received an absentee ballot, or if you have returned the absentee ballot, but the registrars have not received the ballot, you may cancel the absentee ballot by appearing in person before the registrar or absentee ballot clerk and making a written request to have the ballot marked “cancelled.” After the registrars confirm your identity, the registrars or absentee ballot clerk shall grant the request and notify the managers of your precinct to permit you to vote in person at that precinct.
Source: https://sos.ga.gov/admin/uploads/Absentee_Voting_Guide_20142.pdf
5. Early Voting Information
- Early Voting is available October 15 – November 1, 2024.
- During early voting, polls are typically open from 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturdays. Exact hours may vary by county.
- Find an early voting location that is convenient for you by visiting the GA My Voter page at: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/
- More early voting information is available by county from the drop down menu here:
https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/advanced-voting-location-information - For more information regarding federal, state and local elections contact your state election official online: https://sos.ga.gov or call Georgia Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger 844.753.7825
6. Be A Poll Worker
- Become a poll worker!
- Poll workers must be 17 years old or over, and a registered voter (if over 18) in their county
- Contact your founty’s Registrar for information on how to sign up: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyregistrars.do
7. Additional Questions?
https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections