Stickers sit on a table on the first day of early voting at Atlanta Metropolitan State College on Oct. 15, 2024 in Atlanta. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - Over 218,000 Georgia voters are on notice to take action to stay active on the Peach State's voter list.
The Georgia Secretary of State's Office has mailed out hundreds of thousands of postcards this summer to voters to ensure that they are designated as "Active."
What we know:
State officials say that the "No Contact" mailers were sent to voters who have not had any voting or registration activity in at least five years.
Voters who do not respond will be changed to "Inactive" and risk not being able to vote in 2029.
Authorities say they will continue the audit of the state's voter rolls over the coming months, which will include implementing an address verification tool.
What they're saying:
"Every voter in Georgia is in control of his or her voter registration status," said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. "We conduct every phase of the list maintenance process as publicly as possible, and in accordance with State and Federal law, because transparency helps shore up public trust in the accuracy and integrity of entire election process."
"Clean voter rolls mean clean elections," Raffensperger added. "My promise to Georgia voters is elections that are free, fair, and fast - and we’re doing just that."
The other side:
Voting rights activists have criticized the notices, saying that they are concern over the possible consequences.
In July, Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia, told FOX 5 the mass removal could disenfranchise eligible voters—particularly those who move frequently or belong to more transient populations such as renters and younger voters.
"They’re more mobile. They’re not necessarily tracking all this paperwork," Young said. "We consider it a purge."
What you can do:
If you have received one of the postcards, you can remain in "Active" status by submitting a voter registration update through the Georgia Secretary of State's Online Voter Registration, the My Voter Page, or by completing and returning the postcard included with the cancellation mailer.
For voters who have moved outside of Georgia and need to cancel their registration, you can do that through the Online Voter Cancellation Request Portal.
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History of voter purge in Georgia | What you need to know
Nearly half a million voter registrations in Georgia are about to be cancelled. The Georgia Secretary of the state’s office began mailing out letters to hundreds of thousands of voters. If you get one the clock is ticking to stay on the voter rolls. It's one of the largest cancellations of voter registrations in history.
History of voter purges in Georgia
Timeline:
Georgia has conducted several significant voter‑registration purges in recent years, drawing scrutiny from election experts, courts, and rights advocates. Here’s a look at the major efforts:
September 2023 cleanup
In late 2023, the state removed nearly 190,000 active registrations and placed more than 305,000 others into inactive status over concerns that voters had moved or not voted in multiple elections. Under this "biennial maintenance," voters who do not respond to mailed notices within 40 days risk losing active status and could be removed by 2025.
December 2019 purge of ~309,000 voters
In December 2019, Georgia election officials purged nearly 309,000 registrations, placing many on inactive status for not voting or contacting election authorities in the prior seven years. A federal judge later heard arguments from Fair Fight Action to halt the purge.
In 2019, a federal judge allowed the December purge to proceed but required better notification, especially ahead of special elections. In 2021, nearly 5,000 voters were reinstated via court order.
June 2021 purge of ~102,000 voters
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger released a public list of nearly 102,000 voters in June 2021, to be removed during routine maintenance unless they responded to notices. The list included around 67,000 who filed postal-change-of-address forms and 34,000 with undeliverable election mail. Officials emphasized that those who respond within 40 days could have their registrations reactivated.
What you can do:
Over the past six years, Georgia’s voter‑list maintenance efforts have escalated in scope and intensity, from routine purges to highly visible, court‑challenged removals. With nearly a half‑million registrations scheduled for July 2025, the tension between ensuring accurate voter rolls and preserving voter access continues to dominate the state’s electoral landscape.
The Source: Information for this article came from the Georgia Secretary of State's Office and previous FOX 5 reporting.