Second in the League of Women Voters of Georgia’s “How Georgia Votes” series
MARIETTA, GA, August 10, 2026 — Every Georgia election begins the same way, with a voter registration list built one neighbor at a time. This week, the League of Women Voters of Georgia’s “How Georgia Votes” series covers the first step in the process: getting on that list, and helping others do the same, ahead of the October 5 registration deadline for the November 3 general election.
Any U.S. citizen who lives in Georgia and will be at least 18 years old by Election Day can register. Registration takes only a few minutes: (1) online through the Georgia Secretary of State’s registration portal for anyone with a Georgia driver’s license or state ID, (2) by mail using a paper application available at any county registrar’s office or public library, (3) or in person when renewing a license at the Department of Driver Services. Every application, however it arrives, is reviewed and verified by trained election staff in the voter’s home county before a name is added to the rolls.
“Registration is where trust in our elections starts, because it is where accuracy starts,” said Jackie Killings, President of the League of Women Voters of Georgia. “Every name on Georgia’s voter list was checked by an election professional in one of our 159 counties — someone who lives in that community and answers to it. That is true whether your county office sits in downtown Atlanta or on the square in a town of two thousand people.”
Georgians who want to help friends, family, or neighbors register can do so. Anyone may give someone else an application or direct them to the Secretary of State’s portal, and community groups that plan to hold registration drives can find the state’s guidelines through their county registrar. Local Leagues of Women Voters across the state host registration events year-round and welcome volunteers.
Next week in the series: how to verify your own registration in about two minutes — and when a move or a name change means it’s time to update it.
About the League of Women Voters of Georgia
The League of Women Voters of Georgia is a nonpartisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government. The League never supports or opposes candidates or political parties. Through roughly fifteen local Leagues across the state, volunteers register voters, host candidate forums, and provide trusted election information through Vote411.org. Learn more at lwvga.org.