Voting & Elections Toolkits

Deadline

• Voter registration deadlines are determined by the date of the election.
• Election and Voter Registration Calendars: https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/elections_and_voter_registration_calendars
• Georgia does not allow for election day voter registration.

Online registration

To use the Online Voter Registration System, you must have a valid driver’s license or identification card issued by GA Department of Driver Services (DDS) with signature on file with DDS. You may use this system to (1) Register to vote in Georgia or (2) change your name and/or address on your current registration record. To access the system, click on the link below. 

https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov

If you do not have a valid driver’s license or identification card, the above link will walk you through how to manually submit a paper registration.

Mail-in registration

Printable form (English): https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov/GAOLVR/images/reg_form.pdf or follow the instructions to manually submit a paper form in the Online Voter Registration System linked above.

Refer to the box below for information about ID requirements.

Other options

You can go to your local county board of registrars' office or election office, public library, public assistance office, recruitment office, schools, and other government offices for a mail-in registration form.

Registration is offered when you renew or apply for your driver's license at Department of Driver Services.

College students can obtain Georgia voter registration forms, or the necessary forms to register in any state in the U.S., from their school registrar's office or from the office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Updating registration      

To make changes to your current registration record, log in to My Voter Page: https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do

Changes can also be made via the mail-in application.

Cancelling registration

Contact your local county registrar's office to cancel your registration.

Directory of County Board of Registrars Offices: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyregistrars.do

ID Requirements for Voting

Georgia law (O.C.G.A § 21-2-417) requires Georgia residents to show photo identification when voting in person. 

You are not required to provide identification when you vote absentee by mail.

What IDs are acceptable?
Bring one of these six forms of identification to vote:

• Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free ID Card issued by your county registrar's office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)
• A Georgia Driver's License, even if expired
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
• Valid U.S. passport ID
• Valid U.S. military photo ID
• Valid tribal photo ID

Georgia's Voter Identification Card
If you do not have one of the six acceptable forms of photo ID, the State of Georgia offers a free ID Card. An ID card can be issued at any county registrar's office or Department of Driver Services Office free of charge.

To receive a voter identification card, the voter must provide:

• A photo identity document or approved non-photo identity document that includes full legal name and date of birth
• Documentation showing the voter's date of birth
• Evidence that the applicant is a registered voter
• Documentation showing the applicant's name and residential address

For more information, visit: https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/georgia_voter_identification_requirements2

Where to get an ID

Georgia Department of Driver Services

• Driver's license:https://dds.georgia.gov/your-georgia-drivers-license
• State ID:https://dds.georgia.gov/georgia-state-id-card
• Voter ID:https://dds.georgia.gov/voter-id

Voter ID cards can also be obtained at any county registrar's office.

Absentee voting

Opening/closing dates

• You may file an application for an absentee ballot no more than 180 days prior to the date of the election. Separate applications are required for each election with exceptions based on age, disability status, or military status. More information on these exceptions is available on the absentee ballot application.
• Absentee ballots are not issued the day before or the day of an election.
• Check the official calendar for the earliest date a voter may mail in an absentee ballot.
• Absentee ballots must be received by the County Board of Elections office by election day by 7:00 p.m. in order to be counted. No marked absentee ballots can be accepted at the polling locations on Election Day.

Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.

Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) citizens may choose to submit one application and receive one ballot for the General Primary and its Runoff (if any), as well as the General Election and its Runoff (if any).

Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

All Georgia voters are eligible to apply for an absentee ballot.

Application for Absentee Ballot: https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/Elections/absentee_voting_in_georgia

Polling places and hours

• Use the Polling Place Locator to find your polling place: https://gettothepolls.com/
• Polls in Georgia are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Time off to vote: Employers must give an employee up to two hours of time off to vote, unless the polls are open for two consecutive hours before or after the employee’s work shift. However employers are not required to provide paid time off to vote and may decide when time is taken.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

• Lyft (www.lyft.com) provides free or discounted rides in some underserved communities
• Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local office:
  • Republican Party: https://gagop.org/
  • Democratic Party: https://www.georgiademocrat.org/

Help for disabled voters

• Georgia law requires all polling places to be fully accessible and equipped with poll workers that are trained to take care of the needs of all voters.
• Any voter may request a mail-in ballot or utilize the option to vote early. No justification is required for either option.
• In person voting assistance is available, as are assistive voting devices and a seated voting option.
• For more information, visit: https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/voters_with_disabilities

Ballots

• For sample ballots, log in to My Voter Page https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do. These are also available at individual County Elections Offices.
• For information on candidates, see https://elections.sos.ga.gov/GAElection/CandidateDetails

Who are the candidates, and what else is on the ballot?

• Sample ballots available via My Voter Page: https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do
• Candidate details: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/GAElection/CandidateDetails

Important Dates

Election Day for the general election is November 3, 2020

Dates of election for offices in the state of Georgia are held in accordance with the Official Code of Georgia, Title 21-2-9.

Who conducts elections?

• The Elections Division of the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office organizes and oversees all election activity.
• Generally, each county has a Registrar and an Elections Office to receive and process applications for voter registration and prepare ballots and administer balloting.
  • Contact your county Registrar: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyregistrars.do
  • Contact your county Elections Office: https://elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyelectionoffices.do

Where to go with complaints about candidates or how elections are conducted

The Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s Office organizes and oversees all election activity, including voter registration, municipal, state, county, and federal elections, and are accountable for investigating election fraud and enforcing state election laws.

To submit an online complaint to the Elections Division: https://sos.ga.gov/cgi-bin/emailelectionscomplaint.asp

To report voter fraud: https://sos.ga.gov/cgi-bin/EMailStopVoterFraud.asp

Campaign finance

Campaign reports filed with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission are available via http://media.ethics.ga.gov/Search/Campaign/Campaign_ByName.aspx.

Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports and Candidate Financial Disclosure Statements filed with the Secretary of State's office from 1998 to 2005 are available via https://sos.ga.gov/elections/disclosure/disclosure.htm.

How to contact your elected officials:

Find your elected officials via the My Voter Page: https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do

2019 Official Directory: https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/2019_official_directory2