Time is running short to register to vote in Georgia’s May 19 primary election

by Ross Williams, Georgia Recorder, [This article first appeared in the Georgia Recorder, republished with permission]

April 17, 2026

If you’re not registered to vote in next month’s primary election, you have until Monday to mark that off your to-do list.

You can check whether you’re good to go by visiting the secretary of state office’s My Voter Page.

If you’re not, you can register online with a valid Georgia drivers’ license or Georgia ID card.

Registering by Monday will allow you to vote in the May 19 primary, where candidates from the two major parties will compete for a place on the ballot for November’s election. Even if you miss the deadline to vote in the primary, you can still register to vote in November.

At stake are one of Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats, the governor and down-ballot races like lieutenant governor and secretary of state as well as any local offices up for election in your area. You can see a sample ballot on your My Voter Page that will show you what races you’ll be able to vote on and the names of the candidates.

Early voting for the May 19 primary starts Monday, April 27. Check with your county election office to find out where to go.

Whether you want to vote in person or by absentee ballot, you’ll have to decide whether you want a Democratic, Republican or nonpartisan ballot. If you chose one of the parties, you’ll be able to have a say in who that party sends to the November general election. If you pick a nonpartisan ballot, you will only be able to vote in nonpartisan races like for judges. Whichever path you choose, you can select candidates regardless of their party in November.

You’ll need your ID to vote.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.