With the May 24 primary election approaching, the fallout from Tuesday’s vote will shape the state’s political playing field for the critical midpoint in November, when control of the governor’s office and possibly the US Senate is at stake.
This year will see the first major statewide election since 2020, which was the best-attended election in the state’s history. And if early voting is any indication, turnout could be even bigger this year.
As of Wednesday, May 19, over 565,000 people in Georgia had voted early, according to the foreign minister — a 153% increase from the same time in the early voting period of the 2018 primary and a 189% increase from the same time in the early voting period in the 2020 primaries.
Early voting ended on Friday. Thereafter, voters must cast their ballots on election day or by returning a completed postal ballot. The deadline for applying for postal voting has expired.
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Personal vote
Polling stations across the state open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7 p.m. If voters wait in line until 7 p.m., they can stay until they cast their vote.
In contrast to early voting, voting in person must take place on election day at an assigned polling station. Voters can find their polling location at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
Check your registration status:Secretary of State’s MyVoterPage
Because of Georgia’s open primary rules, voters of all party affiliations are allowed to vote whatever they want. Democrats can vote on the Republican ballot and vice versa. However, if a race goes to a runoff, voters can only vote on the runoff races on the ballot they originally took.
A few things are forbidden in the elections. Under Georgian law, it is illegal to carry firearms within 150 feet of a polling station or, if a line protrudes from the polling station door, within 150 feet of the end of the line.
Bring state ID to vote
If you wish to vote in person, you must present a photo ID at the polling station.
Valid forms of identification include a Georgia driver’s license, even if it has expired, a passport, photo military ID, federal or state agency ID, government employee photo ID, or tribal photo ID.
Voters may not wear clothing promoting political candidates or political slogans, including face masks.
Voters who show up to polling stations but do not meet all the requirements can apply for a provisional ballot. Provisional voters must show photo identification to the county registry office within three days of the election to have their ballots counted.
This will give you a provisional ballot
If a voter is told by a poll worker that their eligibility to vote cannot be determined, the voter has the right to request a provisional vote.
If a voter shows up in the wrong constituency, they can either go to the correct constituency or, if it is after 5 p.m., cast a provisional vote in the wrong constituency.
Any votes cast by a provisional ballot in the wrong district will not be counted unless cast between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Otherwise, you will be instructed to go to the correct district.
How to return an election card
Georgia’s Electoral Law Reform 2021, widely known as SB 202, changed the timing for applying for absentee ballots. The application period began on March 7th and ended on May 13th.
There is no way to request an absentee ballot at this time, but there are a few options for those who have not yet returned their absentee ballots. Ballots will not be accepted after polling stations close on Election Day.
Voters can also submit the completed ballot paper by 7 p.m. on election day. In Richmond County, the Elections Committee is located at 535 Telfair St. Suite 500. In Columbia County, it is located at 500 Faircloth Drive, Building E, in Evans.
If a voter decides they would rather vote in person than cast their absentee vote that has not yet been returned, they must take the absentee ballot to the polls and have it spoiled by an election official before casting an in-person vote.
Voters can check the status of absentee ballots at mvp.sos.ga.gov. If a voter has mailed a completed ballot but it has not yet been accepted, voters may appear in person to void the ballot and vote in person on Election Day.
Can I still use ballot boxes?
Postal ballot boxes can no longer be used on election day.
The drop boxes were officially codified by Electoral Law SB 202 of 2021, but it also limited their use to early voting, which ended on Friday.
The mailboxes were originally an emergency measure introduced in 2020 for those who didn’t want to risk exposing themselves to COVID by voting in person or risk having their ballot arrive late in the mail.
Previously, the boxes had to be on government property and monitored by cameras 24 hours a day. They never closed and voters could cast ballots at any time.
Will Peebles is a corporate reporter for Savannah Morning News. He can be reached on Twitter at wpeebles@gannett.com and @willpeeblessmn.
