Georgia Voting 101

Woman wearing USA Shirt Make your voice heard!

Elections provide an opportunity for you to express your opinion on the people you want to represent you at local, state, and federal levels as well as on issues in your jurisdiction such as local tax and funding proposals. Simply put, voting is a cornerstone of our American democracy at local and national levels.

Anyone that fits the following profile can register to vote in Georgia:

  • Citizen of the United States
  • Legal resident of a county in Georgia
  • At least 17 ½ years of age to register (18 years of age to vote)
  • Not serving a sentence for conviction of a felony
  • Not been found mentally incompetent by a judge

If you have had trouble casting your ballot or are unsure where to begin, Empowerline™ can help. In addition, this Georgia Voter tip sheet summarizes your three options for voting in Georgia and checking your registration status.

How do I register to vote?

Is this your first time voting in an election? Or have you moved – whether down the street, across Georgia, or between states – since the last time you voted? If your answer is yes to either question, you must register to vote using your current home address, 30 days BEFORE an election. You can register online or by mail.

Online

  • To register to vote in Georgia or to update your voter registration information if you moved since the last election, visit the state’s Online Voter Registration System page.
  • You may only register online if you have a valid Georgia driver’s license or identification card issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). Note, if you also need to obtain a new driver’s license or identification card from DDS, you can register to vote at the same time you visit a Georgia DDS office.

By Mail

  • If you have any of the six valid forms of voter ID, you can mail in your registration application.
  • You can print the blank State of Georgia voter registration application (postage-paid), complete it, and mail or hand deliver it to the Secretary of State’s office. You may need to include copies of ID and proof of address.
  • If you don’t have access to a computer or printer, you can find a form in-person at your local county board of registrars’ office or election office, public library, public assistance office, recruitment office, schools, and other government offices.

Please note: Georgia is an open registration state, which means that you do not have to specify your political party when you register to vote.

How do I confirm that I’m registered to vote?

Once your voter registration application is approved, you will receive a voter registration card in the mail that tells you your voting precinct.

You can check whether you’re already registered to vote at your current home address in Georgia by entering your information under “MVP Login” on the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page. If you realize your information is not up to date, see above for “How do I register to vote?”.

Where can I find registration deadlines, sample ballots or information on my U.S. or State District?

Your My Voter Page will also provide you with helpful information such as your polling location, your early voting locations and times, a sample ballot, and your U.S. Congressional District and Georgia Senate and House Districts.

You must register to vote 30 days BEFORE an election. The Georgia Secretary of State posts registration deadline and election dates that you can check to ensure you register in time to vote. So, if you plan to vote in the November 5, 2024 Presidential Election, the county election office must receive it by October 5.

When and where do I vote?

You have three options for exercising your right to vote:

  1. Election Day Voting (in person) – Polls are open from 7 am to 7 pm. Your precinct location can be found on your voter registration card, or you can look it up online. You must bring photo ID to your polling location to vote. Georgia accepts six forms of voter ID, including free Voter ID Cards.
  2. Early Voting (in person) – Georgia allows early voting starting 21 days before a general election. Below you will find links to each county’s election office, where you can vote early. Bring photo ID. You cannot vote at this location on election day.
  3. Vote by Mail (“Absentee Ballot”) – In Georgia, you may choose to vote by mail, fax, or email, also known as “absentee”, regardless of reason (note eligibility varies by state).

All voters are eligible to request a ballot to be mailed to them. You must submit a request form, provided by the county election office, asking for your ballot for the upcoming election. During primary elections, you may be asked to choose either a Democratic or a Republican ballot. Some primaries are nonpartisan, in which case you would not be asked to select a partisan ballot.

You must submit a SEPARATE absentee ballot request form for each election, unless you are over the age of 65, disabled, or a military or overseas citizen. In this case, you only need to submit one application to be included in the General Primary, General Primary runoff, General Election, and General Election Runoffs in an election cycle.

Absentee ballots can be requested between 78 and 11 calendar days before Election Day. Request forms can be submitted online, by email, by fax, or in person.

  • Online: Absentee ballot applications can be filled out on this paperless portal. You must submit either your driver’s license number or state ID number in place of submitting a signature. After submitting your application, you will receive a printable PDF with a time stamp, and an email notification will also be sent to you confirming the receipt of your application. The application will automatically be forwarded to your local election board. If you have already mailed or e-mailed your application to vote-by-mail, you do not have to resubmit through the portal.
  • Email: To submit by email you must download and print the absentee voting form, fill out and sign the application, and then email your County Board of Registrar’s Office. Contact information for Registrar’s Offices can be found here.
  • Fax: To submit by email you must download and print the absentee voting form, fill out and sign the application, and then fax your County Board of Registrar’s Office. Contact information for Registrar’s Offices can be found here.
  • In Person: To submit by email you must download and print the absentee voting form, fill out and sign the application, and then bring your application to your County Board of Registrar’s Office. Location information for Registrar’s Offices can be found here.

Once your request form is received, the election office has three days to mail your ballot to you. After you receive and complete your ballot, your county’s election office must receive it on or before election day. When filling out your ballot, make sure to sign it properly; improper singing is the most common reason an absentee ballot is rejected. You may return the ballot by mail, by hand to the election office, or to a secure absentee ballot dropbox. To find your nearest secure drop box, contact your County Registrar Office. Voting precincts do not accept absentee ballots.

If you send your ballot through USPS, use two first class stamps and mail at least two weeks before the election.

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If you would like to speak with an Empowerline™ representative to learn more about your voting options, please call us at (404) 463-3333. You may also use the Chat feature at the top of the page to receive assistance.