Georgia

The polls must be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Eastern, on Election Day. Please note that dates, times, and locations for Advanced In Person (AIP) Voting (also known as early voting) differs from county to county. Voters should confirm AIP Voting (early voting) dates, times, and locations for their specific county on the Secretary of State’s website at this link or on the Georgia “My Voter Page” on the Secretary of State’s website at this link.

A voter can determine their proper Election Day polling place or Advance In Person (AIP) Voting (also known as early voting) locations by checking the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page website at this link. AIP Voting (early voting) dates, times, and locations for the voter’s specific county may also be found on the Secretary of State’s website at this link.

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in Georgia if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are a resident of Georgia
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in Georgia if:

• You are currently serving a sentence including incarceration, parole, probation, or extended supervision for a felony conviction
• A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony sentence, including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or you have been pardoned, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote

You may preregister to vote in Georgia

• at the age of 17-1/2

How to register 

To register to vote the voter must be: 

• A citizen of the United States;
• A legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which the voter wishes to vote; and
• At least 17 1/2 years of age to register and 18 to vote.

A voter may NOT register to vote if they: 

• Are currently serving a sentence for a felony* or
• Have been ruled mentally incompetent by a court.
• * You are considered to have completed your felony sentence for the purpose of voter eligibility if you have completed any and all terms of incarceration, probation, or parole and paid all fines, unless such fines are canceled upon completion of your term of incarceration, probation, or parole (e.g., when the fines were imposed “as a condition of probation,” they are automatically canceled upon completion of probation). Your felony sentence is considered completed even if you have outstanding monetary obligations other than fines, such as unpaid restitution, fees, costs, or surcharges.

Georgians who have a Georgia Driver’s License or State Issued ID card may use Georgia’s online voter registration system, which is available at this link.

Georgians who do not have a Georgia Driver’s License or State Issued ID card may register to vote in person at their county registrar’s office or may mail in a voter registration form. The Georgia voter registration form may be downloaded from the Georgia Secretary of State’s website at this link.  The National Voter Registration form and the Georgia state specific instructions for completing the form can be found at this link. 

Georgians may also go to their public libraries, public assistance offices, military recruitment offices, schools, and certain other government offices for a mail-in registration form. 

Voter registration is also offered when Georgians renew or apply for their driver’s license at the 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.

Georgians may also register to vote through third-party voter registration drives.  If a Georgian registers through a third-party voter registration drive, the application is treated as a mailed-in application. First time voters who register using a mailed-in application must provide proof of residency the first time they request a ballot.  This can include a utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, Georgia driver’s license, Georgia state ID card, other government, or one of the forms of acceptable photo ID for voting bearing the voter’s name and current residence address.

Generally, the voter registration deadline is the close of business on the fifth Monday before the election.

The voter registration deadlines for the 2024 elections are as follows:

• General election: October 7, 2024 voter registration deadline (Election Day is November 5, 2024; early voting runs from October 15, 2024 to November 1, 2024).
• Nonfederal office runoffs following the November 5, 2024 general election, if necessary: October 7, 2024 voter registration deadline (Election Day is December 3, 2024; early voting begins as soon as possible but no later than November 25 – November 27, 2024).
• Federal office runoffs following the November 5, 2024 general election, if necessary: November 4, 2024 voter registration deadline (Election Day is December 3, 2024; early voting begins as soon as possible but no later than November 25 – November 27, 2024).

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail
• By Fax
• By Email
• Online

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Registered voters may vote by mail or in-person during Advanced In Person (AIP) Voting (also known as early voting) before Election Day. Voters do not need a reason or excuse to vote by mail or to vote early.

The State of Georgia will not automatically send applications for mail-in ballots (also known as absentee ballots) to voters. Voters must apply for a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot) by each relevant deadline for each general, primary, special, and runoff election if they want to vote by mail-in ballot (absentee ballot) (exceptions apply). Disabled voters and voters who are 65 or older may request a “rollover” mail-in ballot (absentee ballot) so that they do not need to apply for a new mail-in ballot (absentee ballot) in every election in a given year. These voters have to check the designated box on the application for a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot) to “opt-in” to receive a ballot for all elections for that year. A new application must be submitted each year. 

To vote by mail (or absentee), voters (or their qualifying adult family members acting on the behalf of a voter who is temporarily away from the county or municipality where they are registered to vote or who are physically disabled) must submit an application for a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot). Any registered Georgia voter can request a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot). No special circumstances are necessary. Georgia voters may apply for mail-in ballots (absentee ballots) online via the Secretary of State’s portal at this link. 

An application for a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot) can also be obtained on the Secretary of State’s website at this link or at county board of registrars’ offices. When requesting a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot), voters must provide their name, date of birth, address as registered, address where they wish the ballot to be mailed, and the number of their Georgia driver’s license or Georgia State identification card issued by the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles. If they do not have a Georgia driver’s license or Georgia identification card, they must provide a copy of one of the other acceptable forms of identification and affix a photocopy or electronic image of such identification to the application. 

A completed application for a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot)  can be submitted to the Secretary of State’s online portal (if available) or mailed, e-mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered to the county board of registrars in person no more than 78 days prior to an election up until 11 days before the election. 

Request periods for mail-in ballots (absentee ballots) for the 2024 elections are as follows:

• Presidential primary and Special County/Municipal contests (if any): December 25, 2023 to March 1, 2024 mail ballot request period (Election Day is March 12, 2024).
• Special Election Runoff for County/Municipal contests, if necessary, following the March 12, 2024  election: January 22, 2024 to March 29, 2024 mail ballot request period (Election Day is  on April 9, 2024).
• State primary, non-partisan and federal office primary election: March 4, 2024 to May 10, 2024 mail ballot request period (Election Day is on May 21, 2024).
• State primary, nonpartisan and federal office runoffs following the May 21, 2024 election,  if necessary: April 1, 2024 to June 7, 2024 (Election Day is on June 18, 2024)
• General election: August 19, 2024 to October 25, 2024 mail ballot request period (Election Day is on November 5, 2024).

General and federal office runoffs: September 16, 2024 to November 22, 2024 ballot request period (Election Day is on December 3, 2024). 

Once voters receive their mail-in ballot (absentee ballot), Georgia law requires that the ballot be personally mailed or returned in-person to an official ballot drop box or to the county registrar’s office by the voter or by the voter’s mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law,  brother-in-law, sister-in-law,  an individual residing in the household of such voter, or a caretaker may return a mail-in ballot (absentee ballot) for a physically disabled voter.

Mail-in ballots (absentee ballots) must be received by the voter’s county registrar’s office by no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day (i.e., by the close of polls) or placed in an official indoor county drop box during Advance In Person (AIP) Voting (also known as early voting) days and times which end on the Friday prior to Election Day. Note that drop boxes are not available after the end of Advance In Person Voting (early voting). Mail-in ballots (absentee ballots) postmarked on or before Election Day, but which are not received by the county registrar’s office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, will be rejected and will not be counted as votes.

Advance In Person (AIP) Voting (also known as early voting) allows registered voters to vote early at specified sites in the county where they are registered to vote before the election.   Voters should confirm AIP Voting (early voting) dates, times, and locations on the Secretary of State’s website at this link or on the Georgia “My Voter Page” on the Secretary of State’s website at this link.

It is best for voters to confirm the dates, times, and locations when the Advance In Person (AIP) Voting (early voting) sites will be open in their counties before going to the polls.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Georgia you should provide one of the following:

• Your Georgia Driver’s License Number
• Other Government Issued Photo ID

If you do not have these IDs, you may provide:

• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide proof of residency. Acceptable proof includes:

• Current and Valid Photo ID
• Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
• Government Issued Document that shows your current name and address

If you are voting by absentee ballot under the Uniform and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act you are exempt from this requirement.

Voting In-Person

In Georgia, you need to show a valid ID to vote. You can use any ID from this list:

• Valid Employee Photo ID from Federal or State government
• Valid Student ID from State School
• Valid Georgia Voter ID Card with Photo
• Expired Georgia Driver’s License
• Valid Federal Issued ID
• Valid Military ID
• Valid Georgia Driver’s License
• Valid Tribal ID
• Valid US Passport
• Valid Georgia Issued ID
• Valid Employee Photo ID from Local Government

Georgia generally requires photo ID in order to vote, except in the case of certain first time Georgia voters who registered to vote by mail (or through a voter registration drive) who are able to show some forms of non-photo IDs to vote as described below. Acceptable forms of photo ID include:

• 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. 
• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired.
• Valid Student ID from a Georgia Public College, University or Technical College. Note: Please check the list of eligible colleges and universities. Student IDs from private colleges, universities and technical colleges are not valid as acceptable photo ID for voting.
•           
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the federal government,  state of Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of Georgia. 
• Valid U.S. passport.      
• Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter.
• Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter.

Note: The address on the ID does not have to match the address at which the voter is registered to vote. 

Please note that if the voter has changed their name due to marriage, divorce, or for other reasons, they should bring proof of the name change with them when they go to vote.

If a voter registered to vote via mail (including through voter registration drives) but did not include a form of acceptable ID with their registration form, they may produce a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter or one of the acceptable forms of photo ID described above when they request a ballot for the first time.

If a voter’s registration is in “pending” status for citizenship verification, the voter will be required to produce an acceptable form of proof of U.S. citizenship to a poll manager when they go to vote for the first time or to their county registrar or deputy registrar before they request a ballot in order to be able to vote a regular ballot.  A link to the list of acceptable proof of citizenship documents for those in “pending” status for proof of citizenship can be accessed here.

A voter without the above forms of identification or proof of citizenship (if required) may vote a provisional ballot. In order for the provisional ballot to count, the voter must present proper ID or proof of U.S. citizenship (if required) to the registrar’s office within 3 days after Election Day or the provisional ballot will not count.     
If a first-time voter’s voter registration form information did not match records on file for the voter with the Georgia Department of Drivers Services or the Social Security Administration, the voter will be required to produce proof of identification when they request a ballot for the first time.  The acceptable forms of ID for this purpose include a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter or one of the acceptable forms of photo ID described above.

Moved within the same precinct:

Voters should go to the same precinct if they have moved within the same precinct. They will need to fill out a change of address form.

Moved to a different precinct but within the same county:

Voters should go to their old precinct. They will be able to vote at their old precinct but will need to fill out a change of address form for the next election.

Moved to a different county within Georgia:

If a registered voter moved to a different county in Georgia within 30 days prior to an election, the voter should vote at their old precinct one last time and update their address information when they go to vote. If the voter moved out of the county where they were registered to vote more than 30 days prior to an election, they were required to register to vote in the county of their new residence by the voter registration deadline. Voters who failed to do so are not eligible to vote and must re-register in time for the next election.

Moved from a different state:
It depends on when the voter moved. If the voter moved to Georgia on or prior to the last day to register to vote in an election, they were required to register to vote in order to cast a ballot.  There is an exception for an election in which the president and vice president are on the ballot. In that case, if the voter moved to Georgia after the close of voter registration, they should contact the election official in their former state to request an absentee ballot that will permit them to vote for the candidates for president and vice president only.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
• Valid Georgia Driver’s License

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
• Your Georgia Driver’s License Number

A Georgia voter who is living abroad or serving in the military can use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) to register to vote and request mail-in ballots (absentee ballots) for all primaries, runoffs, and general elections involving Federal candidates, and any other elections for which they are eligible, for a period extending through the next regularly scheduled general election. Even if the voter is already registered to vote, they should use the FPCA to request mail-in ballots (absentee ballots). A voter must complete, sign, and submit the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) and submit it to their County Registrar’s office via email (as an attachment), fax, or U.S. mail. The Federal Postcard Application is available on the Georgia Secretary of State’s website at this link.

In Georgia, voters serving a sentence in jail for a misdemeanor or on probation for a misdemeanor are eligible to register to vote and to vote. 

If the voter is serving a sentence for a felony conviction and does not fall under one of the exceptions below (i.e., voter was not sentenced under the First Offender Act or the conditional discharge statute or did not plead “no contest”), the voter is ineligible to register to vote or to vote. 

Voters convicted of a felony are eligible to register to vote and to vote if they were sentenced under the First Offender Act and their sentence has not been revoked or if the voter was sentenced under the Conditional Discharge statute and their sentence has not been revoked. These sentences are not convictions unless the judge revokes the status. If a voter pled nolo contendere (“no contest”), they are also eligible to vote unless otherwise disqualified because they are serving any other felony sentence(s). A voter should consult with a legal services provider to determine whether they are qualified to vote if they have any questions concerning the status of their qualification to vote after a felony conviction.

Additionally, if the voter still owes fines that were imposed as a separate part of their felony sentence – in addition to incarceration or probation – the voter’s sentence may not be complete. The voter should consult with a legal services provider to determine whether they are eligible to vote.Voters do not need to provide anything to prove that they have completed their sentence unless their right to vote because of a felony conviction or sentence is being challenged by the voter’s county board of elections or by another registered voter in the same county. Their right to vote is automatically restored once the sentence is complete. The voter will have to register to vote again once they have served their sentence(s) for any felony conviction(s), including payment of any required fines, fees, and completion of any periods of parole and any other non-custodial terms of the sentence.  You are considered to have completed your felony sentence for the purpose of voter eligibility if you have completed any and all terms of incarceration, probation, or parole and paid all fines, unless such fines are canceled upon completion of your term of incarceration, probation, or parole (e.g., when the fines were imposed “as a condition of probation,” they are automatically canceled upon completion of probation). Your felony sentence is considered completed even if you have outstanding monetary obligations other than fines, such as unpaid restitution, fees, costs, or surcharges.