Georgia voters’ one-week checklist for Election Day
ATLANTA - With one week to go before Election Day, Georgia voters can still cast ballots early in person through Oct. 30 or vote at their assigned polling place on Nov. 3. A little preparation now can help avoid a trip to the wrong location or surprises at the ballot box.
Check your registration and ballot
Visit Georgia’s My Voter Page to check your registration status and details. The portal also provides your assigned Election Day polling place, early-voting locations and sample ballot. Ballots can vary by address, even within the same county, so enter your own voter information to see the races and questions that will appear on your ballot.
The deadline to register or update your address for this election was Oct. 5. If your information appears outdated, contact your county election office as soon as possible. Georgia’s election guidance says voters who move within 30 days of an election may vote in their old precinct; confirm the correct location with your county office.
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Find an early-voting site or your Election Day precinct
Advance voting began Oct. 13 and ends Oct. 30. Voters may use any early-voting location in their county, but on Election Day they must go to their assigned precinct. Check the My Voter Page for locations and hours before leaving home. Election Day polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; voters in line by 7 p.m. can still cast a ballot.
Know the absentee ballot deadline
The deadline to request an absentee ballot for Nov. 3 was Oct. 23. Voters who already requested one should check its status on My Voter Page, follow the ballot instructions and return it promptly. The county registrar must receive a completed ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day; a postmark by that time is not enough. Check with your county about available drop-box locations and hours.
For future elections, Georgia voters can request absentee ballots online or by submitting an application to their county registrar. Applications require identifying information and a driver’s license or state ID number, or an approved ID document.
Bring an accepted photo ID
Georgia requires photo identification to vote in person.
Accepted forms include a Georgia driver’s license, even if expired; a U.S. passport; military or tribal photo ID; a Georgia public college or university student ID; and certain government employee IDs. Voters without an accepted ID can get a free Georgia voter identification card from a county registrar’s office or a Department of Driver Services office.
If you believe you are registered in the county but your name does not appear on the voter list, ask a poll worker about casting a provisional ballot. The county must determine your eligibility within three days after Election Day for the ballot to count.
Ask about time off to vote
Georgia law allows eligible, registered employees to take necessary time off to vote on an advance-voting day or Election Day, with reasonable notice to their employer. The time off may not exceed two hours, and employers may specify when it is taken.