Statewide Write-In Absentee Ballot (SWAB)

Statewide Write-In Absentee Ballot (SWAB)

Under the provisions of the Georgia Election Code, Section 21-2-381.2, the Georgia Secretary of State offers a special absentee ballot, called the Statewide Write-in Absentee Ballot (SWAB) for eligible UOCAVA voters in the event of a runoff election.

The SWAB is used to vote for Federal and Statewide offices (U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State School Superintendent, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of Labor, Public Service Commissioner, Justice of Supreme Court, and Judge of the Court of Appeals) in Primary runoffs and General Election runoffs in which that office may appear on the ballot.  

An eligible absentee elector who has requested an absentee ballot for the General Primary or the General Election will automatically receive a SWAB (including all necessary envelopes) along with the absentee ballot for the General Primary Election and the General Election.  No special request for the SWAB is necessary.

In the event an eligible elector did not request a Primary absentee ballot or a General Election absentee ballot, the elector may access the online version of the SWAB or may contact the local county registrar to request that a SWAB be sent to the eligible UOCAVA voter by facsimile.  All requests for absentee ballots (including SWABS) must be made in writing before any absentee ballot can be counted.  If you do not have a request on file with the registrar’s office please click here to obtain an absentee ballot application which can be faxed to the county registrar. 

SWABS for Primary runoffs and General Election runoffs that are postmarked by the date of the Primary runoff or General Election runoff, if proper in all other respects, shall be counted if received by the registrar within the three day period following such runoff election.

If you have previously requested all absentee ballots as allowed by law, your local county registrar will also mail you a regular absentee ballot containing all runoff races for which you are eligible to vote.  In the event both ballots are received prior to the deadline, the registrars will count the regular absentee ballot and not the SWAB.

If you have any questions regarding the completion and return of a Statewide Write-In Absentee Ballot for UOCAVA voters, please email your question to the Elections Division or and we will promptly respond to your request. You may also contact the Elections Division by phone via 404-656-2871.