With only 53 days to go until the General Election on November 8th, in just under a week Georgians can go ahead and cast their vote. Next week county officials will begin mailing out absentee ballots, and if you plan on voting via absentee, then it is suggested that you request your absentee ballot and mail it in long before the November 4th deadline. If you need to request an absentee ballot, then you can submit a written request to your county registrar or go online to the Secretary of State’s Office’s website and go to the “My Vote Page” (MVP) where you can print the application and mail the complete form to your registrar.
Not registered to vote yet? Then you have until October 11th to either register to vote or update your voter information. With the recent addition of more electronic platforms, registering to vote in Georgia has never been easier. All you have to do is use your Georgia driver’s license number or state-issued identification card number to register on the Online Voter Registration (OLVR) platform, use the “GA SOS” app, you can mail a hard-copy voter registration application to your county registrar, or now you can use the “2VOTE” text messaging pilot project. If you are already registered to vote, it is important that you make sure your information is updated and ready for the General Election by October 11th as well.
Now, if you want to vote in person, then advance in-person voting begins on October 17th, and Georgia law requires that the polls be open in all 159 counties on Saturday, October 29th to cast a ballot for the November contest.
In a press release from the Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s Office, he had this to say:
“Through MVP, requesting an absentee ballot has never been easier in Georgia…I was proud to bring this new innovation to our state along with other helpful web-based platforms, such as the online voter registration system and the ‘GA SOS’ smartphone app. Georgia is a national leader in utilizing technologies to educate citizens about elections, voting, and the importance of participation in the electoral process for all levels of government.”
“As Georgia’s chief elections official, I want to ensure every Georgian has the opportunity to register to vote and allow their voice to be heard at the polls…The right to vote for our public officials should never be taken for granted.”
With 6.4 million Georgians already registered to vote, I am sure the Secretary of State’s Office is going to have their hands full during this election year, but without question, under Brian Kemp’s leadership, voting is more accessible than ever in the Peach State.