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AARP AARP States Georgia Voters

How to Vote in Georgia’s 2024 Elections

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Important dates and election information

Key dates

  • State primary: Tuesday, May 21
  • Primary runoff: Tuesday, June 18
  • General election: Tuesday, Nov. 5
  • General runoff: Tuesday, Dec. 3

Voting at a glance

  • Voter registration: The deadline to register for primary is Monday, April 22. Visit My Voter Page to check your registration status.
  • Absentee voting: Available to all eligible Georgia voters. But absentee ballots are not sent out automatically; you’ll need to request and apply for one
  • Early voting: Also called advanced voting, this option is available to all registered voters. You can vote at any early polling site in your county. 

  • Voting at the polls: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bring an acceptable photo ID.

Voting in Georgia

What to know about recent changes

  • A law passed in 2023 requires employers to allow workers to take up to two hours off to vote during the early in-person voting window. Previously, time off was required only on Election Day.
  • New congressional and state legislative maps approved by Georgia lawmakers in December 2023 have been upheld by a federal judge. The redrawn maps may change district boundaries and affect which candidates appear on your ballot. 
  • A 2021 voting law shortened the absentee voting window, introduced new ID requirements for mail ballots and set rules for drop boxes, among other changes. Litigation over parts of the law is ongoing. Check back for updates.

Voter registration

The deadline to register is Monday, April 22, for the state primary and Monday, Oct. 7, for the general election.

  • By mail: Download and complete a postage-paid voter registration application and return it to the secretary of state’s office. If you do not have a valid Georgia driver’s license or state identification card, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number or have the state provide you with a unique identification number.
  • By phone: Call your county election office to request a voter registration application. Or call the elections division of the secretary of state’s office at 404-656-2871.  
  • In person: Visit your county election office. Or you can register to vote when you renew or apply for your driver’s license at the Georgia Department of Driver Services. You can also pick up and submit a voter registration form at public libraries, public assistance and other government offices, military recruitment stations and colleges. 

Checking your voter registration status

Check your registration status on the secretary of state’s My Voter Page. Contact your county election office if you don’t receive a precinct card in the mail within two to four weeks after submitting your application. A precinct card proves you’re registered to vote and tells you where to vote, but you’re not required to have it with you when you vote.

Registering to vote on Election Day

Same-day registration is not available in Georgia.

Primary voting and party affiliation

Georgia voters do not affiliate with a party when registering. In the state primary, you can choose to participate in the Democratic, Republican pr nonpartisan contest by selecting the corresponding ballot. If you vote a party ballot in the primary and a runoff election follows, you can vote only in the primary runoff of the party you previously selected.

No matter which ballot you choose in the primaries, you will not be formally affiliated with any party.

Ways to vote

Requesting an absentee ballot 

Any eligible registered Georgia voter can request an absentee ballot. For the state primary, you must request either a Democrat, Republican or non-partisan ballot. The deadline to request a ballot is Friday, May 10, for the primary and Friday, Oct. 25, for the general election.

Absentee ballot applications require a valid Georgia driver’s license or state ID card number, the last four digits of a Social Security number or other identifying documents outlined on the secretary of state’s website.

Certain voters — including military members and their families, those 65 and older and people with disabilities — can make a single request that absentee ballots be sent for every election this year, except special elections. Everyone else needs a separate request for each election and runoff.

Visit Georgia.gov for more information about absentee voting and to download the application.

Returning your absentee ballot

Completed absentee ballots can be returned in person or by mail. Be sure to include your driver’s license or state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number, on the outer envelope.

  • In person: You, a family member or a person living in your household can hand-deliver your ballot to your county election office on Election Day, but make sure to get it there before the polls close.
  • Drop box: Bring your ballot to a drop box in your county by the close of early voting: Friday, May 17, for the state primary and Friday, Nov. 1, for the general election. Check with your county election office for locations.
  • By mail: Mail completed ballots to your county election office. Mail your ballot at least seven days before the election to help ensure it arrives by the time polls close on Election Day. Postage is required.

Use the secretary of state’s My Voter Page or Georgia BallotTrax to track your absentee ballot.

Voting in person before Election Day

Early in-person voting, also called advanced voting, is available to all registered voters at any early voting location in your county.

Advanced voting runs from Monday, April 29, through Friday, May 17, for the state primary and from Tuesday, Oct. 15, through Friday, Nov. 1, for the general election.

Saturday voting will be offered on May 4 and 11 for the state primary and on Oct. 19 and 26 for the general election. Some counties may offer Sunday voting.

For voting times and locations, check with your county election office or visit My Voter Page or the secretary of state’s website.

Voting at the polls on Election Day

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can vote only at your assigned polling place on the day of the election. To find your polling location, check My Voter Page or contact your county election office. If you’re in line by 7 p.m., you’ll be allowed to vote.

Voter ID requirements on Election Day 

You must show an acceptable form of photo identification, such as a Georgia driver’s license (even if it’s expired) or any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID. Find a full list of acceptable photo ID on the secretary of state’s website.

If you don’t have an acceptable form of photo identification, you can get a free voter ID card from the Department of Driver Services or any county election office.

Voting with a disability 

Counties are required by law to provide accessible polling places.

Georgia’s voting system offers accessibility devices for people with disabilities, including audio ballots for visually impaired voters and booths for voters in wheelchairs.

If you need help voting in person, you can choose anyone to assist you except for your employer or union officer, a candidate on the ballot or a candidate’s immediate relative. If you registered as a voter with a disability, your absentee ballot may be returned by someone in your household or your caregiver.

If you’re 75 or older or have a disability and require assistance, you can vote at the next available booth without waiting in line.

Find more information about voting with a disability on the secretary of state’s website.

More information about candidates and key races

Key races:

  • U.S. President
  • U.S. House: all 14 seats
  • State House: all 180 seats
  • State Senate: all 56 seats
  • State Supreme Court: four seats

Find candidate information on the secretary of state’s website and view sample ballots on My Voter Page when they become available.

Editor’s note: This guide was originally published on Jan. 31, 2024. It has been updated with new information about voting in the 2024 elections.

Natalie Missakian covers federal and state policy and writes AARP’s Fighting for You Every Day blog. She previously worked as a reporter for the New Haven Register and daily newspapers in Ohio. She has also written for the AARP Bulletin, the Hartford Business Journal and other publications.

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