This is an installment in the League of Women Voters of Georgia’s “How Georgia Votes” series. To read previous installments in the “How Georgia Votes” series, follow this link.
Every Georgia voter chooses not just who to vote for, but how. In this week’s piece of “How Georgia Votes,” our series on how Georgia elections work, I want to lay out the three ways to cast a ballot in the November 3 general election, the deadlines attached to each, and the safeguards each one carries. The registration deadline for all three is the same: Monday, October 5.
1. Early in-person voting runs Monday, October 13 through Friday, October 30, at locations set by each county, with Saturday voting required by state law. Early voting works exactly like Election Day voting: You present a photo ID, such as a Georgia driver’s license, a passport or a free Georgia voter ID card; make your choices on a touchscreen; review the printed paper ballot; and scan it yourself.
Nearly half of Georgia voters typically choose this option. Locations and hours for every county are listed on the My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
2. Voting by mail is open to any registered Georgia voter, with no excuse required. Applications are being accepted now through Friday, October 23, and can be submitted online, by mail or in person at your county registrar’s office. Your identity is verified through your driver’s license or state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Completed ballots must reach your county election office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, whether by mail, hand delivery or your county’s drop box. Drop boxes exist so voters can return a ballot in person without relying on mail time. Under Georgia law, each one sits inside an election office or early voting site, under constant surveillance and available during voting hours, with ballots collected and logged by sworn election workers.
3. Election Day voting takes place Tuesday, November 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at your assigned polling place, which is listed on your My Voter Page and is worth confirming before you go. Bring your photo ID. If you are in line by 7 p.m., you vote.
There is no wrong door. Whether you vote early in Gainesville, by mail from Tifton or on Election Day in Athens, your ballot lands on paper, your identity is verified and your vote is counted under the same rules as every other Georgian’s. Pick the way that fits your life, and put the dates on your calendar today.
Next in our “How Georgia Votes” series: The full journey of a mail ballot, from your mailbox to the count.
Jackie Killings is president of the League of Women Voters of Georgia, a nonpartisan organization that encourages informed and active participation in government and never supports or opposes any candidate or political party. Learn more at lwvga.org and Vote411.org.
Monica Granderson is the president of the League of Women Voters of Marietta-Cobb County. To see information about the activities of the local league, along with Cobb-specific voting and elections information, visit lwvmariettacobbga.com.