Georgia Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Mail-In Deadlines

General Election: Tuesday, November 4, 2008

• Voter registration form: Postmarked by October 6, 2008
• Absentee ballot application: Received by October 31, 2008
• Absentee ballot due: Received by 7pm Election Day

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Georgia you must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you want to vote
• be 18 years old within six months after the day of registration, and be 18 years old to vote
• not be serving a sentence for having been convicted of a felony
• not have been judicially determined to be mentally incompetent, unless the disability has been removed

How to register to vote:

• Recommended: Use our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form.  
• You can also download Georgia's voter registration form.  Mail your completed form to your County Board of Registrar's Office.  

ID requirements for first-time voters:

If you are registering for the first time in Georgia, and you register to vote by mail, then you must enclose a copy of your ID with your application.  If you don't, you'll need to provide ID the first time you vote in person or by absentee ballot.  Acceptable forms of ID include a copy of a current and valid photo ID OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.

Military and overseas voters are exempt from this requirement.

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Absentee Voting

Who can vote by absentee ballot?

Good news! Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot in Georgia.

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

You may apply for an absentee ballot as early as 180 days before an election.  To apply, download and complete the Georgia application for an absentee ballot.  If you want the ballot mailed to you, be sure to include your mailing address in the space provided.  If you're away at college, temporarily outside the county, or physically disabled, a relative can use the same form to request the ballot for you.  Just be sure to request your ballot before the deadline!

Mail, fax, or hand-deliver your completed application to your County Board of Registrar's office.  Once they process it, they'll mail your ballot to you.

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you've already voted in Georgia at least once.  If you are voting for the first time in Georgia, and you did not submit a copy of your ID when you registered to vote, include one of the following form of ID with your absentee ballot application: a copy of a current and valid photo ID OR a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.

How often do you need to apply for an absentee ballot?

Unless you are in the military, disabled, or over 75, you'll need to submit a separate application every time you wish to vote by absentee ballot. 

If you are in the military, 75 or older, or physically disabled, you can use one Georgia absente ballot application to request an absentee ballot for the Primary, Primary Runoff, Election and Election Runoff.  You'll need to submit a separate application for the Presidential Primary.

Returning your voted absentee ballot:

Fill out your ballot, sign where indicated, put a stamp on it, and then mail your ballot back to your County Board of Registrar.  Be sure to meet the deadline or your ballot won't be counted!

State Contact Information