Georgia

Land Acknowledgement

Georgia is the home of three state-recognized tribes: the Cherokee of Georgia Tribal Council, Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee, and the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe. It is also the traditional homeland of many tribes.

Overview

Georgia allows you to register to vote online, by mail, and in person. The deadline to register to vote is October 11. You need a photo ID to vote. See below for a list of acceptable photo IDs.

Key Dates

October 10 - Mail-in ballots start to be sent out
October 11 - Deadline to register to vote
October 17 - Early voting begins, varies by county
October 28 - Deadline to request a mail-in ballot
November 8 - Election Day

Contacts

Local election official
Secretary of State, Elections Division: (404) 656-2871 or email here

Georgia Voting Guide

Note: The information below is not legal advice on how to vote. Because voting information is changing rapidly during this election, make sure you check the links provided and check with your state about deadlines and voting specifics.

Registering to Vote

The voter registration deadline is October 11.
No.
To register to vote, you need a residential address. If you receive mail at an address different from your residential address, provide that, too. Your mailing address can be a P.O. Box or a Route Number. You do not need a driver's license, State ID, or Social Security Number to register by mail or in person in Georgia. Check the box in section 5 and a unique identifier will be assigned to you. To register online, you need a Georgia driver's license or State ID. If you are registering by mail or in person for the first time, you need to include a copy of your ID with your application. Additionally, if it is your first time registering to vote and you have not provided a driver's license, State ID, or the last four digits of your Social Security Number, you must also submit proof of residence with your application OR when you vote for the first time. Proof of residence includes a copy of: current and valid photo ID; utility bill; bank statement; government check; paycheck; or other government document that shows your name and address.
Georgia requires a residential address. However, if your residence does not have house numbers or street names, make a drawing of your location on your application.
You can check your address with your local County Election Official. Find a County Registrar here.
You can register to vote without a valid ID. However, you can get a free State ID at any County Registrar's office or Department of Driver Services office. Find a County Registrar here. Find a Department of Driver Services office here.
Yes. You can register to vote online here if you have a valid driver's license or State ID.
No.
Yes. You can register to vote in person by filling out this application and personally returning it to your County Registrar office. Find your local office here.
Yes. You can register to vote by filling out this application and mailing it to your Secretary of State. Their address is pre-printed on the registration application, along with pre-paid postage.
Yes, unless you are currently serving a felony sentence. Once you have completed your felony sentence - which includes incarceration, probation, parole, or outstanding criminal debt - you can register to vote. Additionally, some felonies do not restrict your right to vote. For more information, see here.
You can contact your local County Registrar office with specific questions for registering to vote. Find their contact information here.
The voter registration deadline is October 11.
Yes, under federal law you can assist someone in registering to vote if they do not speak English well, if they have trouble reading or writing, or if they have a disability.

Checking & Updating Voter Registration

You can check your voter registration online here.
You can call your County Election Official to check your voter registration. Find them here.
You can update your voter registration here.
Maybe. Georgia regularly remove voters from voting lists that have not voted in recent elections or have not responded to letters from the state asking for the voter to confirm their address. If you have not voted recently you should confirm that you are still registered to vote by checking online or calling the Secretary of State Office. Check online here.

Voting by Mail/Absentee/Ballot Drop-Off

You can request a mail-in ballot online, in person, by fax, email, or mail. You do not have to provide a reason for your request. Georgia allows 3 days after Election Day to cure and ballot issues.
Yes. Please check that you have filled out all required fields and signed your ballot. USPS recommends you mail in your ballot a week before the deadline to ensure your ballot is received on time. However, please factor in your personal experience with mail delivery times to and from your place of residence or where you drop off your ballot.
You can get a mail-in ballot by applying for one online here or by printing the form available at that link and emailing, mailing, faxing, or dropping it off to your election official, which you can find here.
No.
Yes.
The deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot is October 28, but you should request your ballot as soon as possible to give time to receive and return the ballot.
Georgia will send out ballots starting October 10.
You can have a ballot sent to the residential or mailing address you provide on your application. Alternatively, if you are temporarily living outside your registered county, you can provide any mailing address outside of the county in which you are registered and your ballot will be sent there.
Yes.
USPS recommends you mail in your absentee ballot one week prior to the state deadline, but mail in your ballot as soon as possible.
Yes. You can return your ballot in person by November 8.
Yes. Only a family member (including grandparent, grandchild, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, and in-laws), household member, or caregiver may return your ballot for you. If you are in custody, a detention center employee can return your ballot for you.
No.
No.
Yes. If your ballot is rejected, you will be promptly notified and you have until 3 days after Election Day to submit a copy of your ID along with an affidavit confirming that your ballot was in fact yours.
You can check the status of your ballot here.
You can contact your local elections official with issues about your mail-in ballot. Find them here. You can also contact your Secretary of State at (404) 656-2871

Voting In-Person

You can find your polling place and hours here.
No.
Yes. You can find early voting locations here.
Yes, you need a photo ID to vote in Georgia. Georgia accepts seven forms of photo ID, including: any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID; a Georgia driver's license, even if expired; Student ID from a Georgia public college or university; 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 the 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.
You can get a free State ID at any county registrar's office or Department of Driver Services Office. Find a county registrar here. Find a Department of Driver Services Office here.
Yes. If you vote a provisional ballot, you must confirm your voting eligibility within three days after Election Day. Learn more here.
Yes. Under federal law (Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act), you are entitled to bring anyone you trust, such as a friend, family member, or neighbor, to the polling place AND into the polling booth to assist with voting. However, that person may not be your employer, running in the election, or a representative of your labor union. The person giving assistance also may not tell the voter how to vote.
You can contact your local elections official if you have any questions about voting in person. Find them here. You can also contact your Secretary of State at (404) 656-2871