Registering to Vote:

• Be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of Georgia.
• Be at least 17 1/2 years of age. (However, you must be 18 to vote.)
• Not be serving a sentence for a conviction of felony of moral turpitude.
• Not have been adjudicated mentally incompetent.

• Online at sos.georgia.gov/elections.
• From the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (404) 656-2871, or the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Information Hotline at (888) 265-1115.
• You may also contact the Elections Division by facsimile at (404) 651-9531.
• From your county registrar’s office. You can find the address and phone number of your county registrar’s office on the web at sos.georgia.gov/elections.

Voters can also register to vote as they obtain or renew their Georgia Driver’s License.

3. Do I have to register to vote again when I move?

Yes. When you move, you must register at your new address at least 30 days before an election to be eligible to vote.

4. How do I know if my application was approved?

You should receive a voter precinct card in the mail at least 2 to 4 weeks after submitting your application. You are not officially registered to vote until your application is approved. 

If you do not receive your voter registration card, or to find out if your registration is current, you should:

• Check the status of your registration by visiting MVP at sos.georgia.gov/mvp.  If MVP is unable to find your information, you should contact your county registrar’s office.
• Call the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (404) 656-2871, or the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Information Hotline at (888) 265-1115. You may also contact the Elections Division by facsimile at (404) 651-9531.

• Voters are required to notify the board of registrars of their county of residence whenever they move.
  
• If you move within the same county in which you are registered to vote and do not notify the registrar within 30 days prior to an election, you may vote in your old polling place for that election. However, you must file a notice of your new address. This can be done by writing your county registrar’s office, or by submitting a new voter registration application.
• If you move within the same county in which you are registered to vote more than 30 days prior to an election, you must reregister at your new residence, and will not be able t vote at your old precinct.
  
• If you move outside the county in which you are registered to vote within 30 days of an election, you may vote in your old precinct for that election. However...
• If you move outside the county in which you are registered to vote more than 30 days prior to an election, you have lost your eligibility to vote in the county of your old residence. You must register to vote in your new county of residence. If you do not register to vote by the deadline, you can not vote in that particular election.

If you have not voted in three or more years, it is important to confirm your registration. You can check your registration status online at My Voter Page (MVP): www.sos.ga.gov/elections.

If MVP is unable to find your information, you should contact your county registrar’s office, the Secretary of State’s Elections Division at (404) 656-2871, or the Secretary of State’s toll-free Voter Information Hotline at (888) 265-1115. You may also contact the Elections Division by facsimile at (404) 651-9531.

Voting:

1. Am I eligible to vote?

You are eligible to vote in Georgia if you are:

• A citizen of the United States;
• A legal resident of Georgia;
• At least 18 years old;
• Have not been found to be mentally incompetent by the court;
• Not serving a sentence for a felony of moral turpitude;
• Registered to vote; and
• Meet all other state requirements, such as showing acceptable photo identification if you choose to vote in person or properly requesting and returning an absentee ballot if you choose to vote by mail.

2. What are my voting options?

Voters can cast their ballots in one of three ways:

• Absentee

As a Georgia Voter, State law allows you to cast a ballot even if you cannot go to the polls on Election Day.  Citizens can vote absentee by requesting an absentee ballot application be mailed from their county registrar’s office. Absentee ballot applications can also be found online at: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections.

There are two categories of absentee voting in Georgia.  The first method is absentee voting by mail.  Simply mail or fax the absentee ballot application to the county registrar’s office of the county where you are registered to vote.  You will not be required to provide a reason why you cannot vote in person.    Once the application is approved you will be mailed an absentee ballot.  You are not required to include any identification when you mail your ballot.

You can also vote absentee in person.  You will be required to give a reason why you need to vote absentee, such as you will be away from your precinct from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Election Day or are 75 years of age or older.  If you cast your ballot in person you must present one of the six required forms of photo ID.

• Early Voting

Advance voting allows you to cast your ballot in person at your county registrar’s office on the Monday through Friday before the Tuesday election. You are not required to give a reason why you are voting in advance of Election Day. You will need to present one of the six forms of photo ID. To find your early voting location, contact your county registrar’s office.

• Vote on Election Day

You can vote in person on Election Day at the polling place listed on your voter precinct card. To find your voting precinct, click here: sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/newlocator.asp.

Please remember to bring one of the six required forms of photo ID with you to the polls. For more information visit www.GAPhotoID.com

3. When can I vote Absentee? 

You can request an absentee ballot up to 180 days before an election. The time period for you to cast an absentee ballot generally begins 45 days before a federal or state primary or election, and 21 days before a municipal election.

All absentee ballots must be received by the county registrar by the close of business on Election Day.

4. Where do I find contact information for my county registrar?

For a list of county registrar’s offices, visit: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/voter_registration/registrars.asp

Voter ID

1. What identification is required to vote?

Acceptable Identification is:

• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired
• Any valid state or federal issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar’s office or by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)
• Valid U.S. passport
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency,  or entity of the U. S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
• Valid U.S. military photo ID
• Valid tribal photo ID

2. Can I use my college or university photo ID card?

If you are currently enrolled in a state college, university or technical college listed below, you may use your school photo ID. If you attend a private college or university, you must show one of the other acceptable forms of photo identification. For more information, call (877) 725-9797.

Acceptable Student ID:  College, University, Technical College

3. What happens if I am at the polls on Election Day and I do not have my photo ID?

If you go to your polling place without an acceptable form of photo identification, you can still vote a provisional ballot. You will have up to two days after the election to present appropriate photo identification at your county registrar’s office in order for your provisional ballot to be counted.

If you do not have one of the six forms of photo identification you can go to your county registrar’s office or to any Department of Driver Services office, and get your free Georgia Voter Identification Card, present it to your county registrar’s office within two days after the election, and your provisional ballot will be counted.

 If you simply forgot your photo identification and time permits, you can retrieve it, return to the polling place, and vote.

OBTAINING A VOTER IDENTIFICATION CARD

1. What if I do not have acceptable Photo ID?

Voters without proper photo identification can obtain a free Voter Identification Card from their county registrar’s office or any Georgia Department of Driver Services office. To find your county registrar's office, call (404) 656-2871 or visit www.sos.ga.gov/elections.

2. How much does a Voter ID Card cost?

A Georgia Voter ID Card is free to anyone registered to vote in Georgia who does not have an acceptable form of photo ID.

3. What do I need to have to get a free voter ID card?

To receive a free Voter ID Card from your county registrar’s office you must show one of the following documents:

• A photo identity document, except that a non-photo identity document is acceptable if it includes both the applicant’s full legal name and date of birth.
• Documentation showing the applicant’s date of birth
• Evidence that the applicant is registered to vote in the state of Georgia
• Documentation showing the applicant’s name and principal residence address

4. What types of documents constitute a photo identity document?

• Student identification card including public or private high school, college, university or vocational schools
• Transit card
• Pilot’s license
• Nursing Home Identification Card
• Employee Identification card
• Government Housing Authority Identification Card
• Any government issued license
• Any card accepted by local, state or federal government for the provision of benefits
• Any card accepted by local, state or federal government for access to buildings

5. What constitutes a non-photo identity document?

• An original birth certificate or certified copy of a birth certificate
• Certificate of birth registration
• Voter registration application
• Copy of records filed in a court by the applicant or on behalf of the applicant by the applicant’s counsel
• Naturalization documentation
• Copy of Marriage License Application
• A copy of the applicant’s State or Federal Tax Return filed for the previous calendar year
• Any other document issued by local, state, or federal government so long as the document provides a reasonably reliable confirmation of the identity of the applicant
• Paycheck or paycheck stub bearing the imprinted name of the applicant’s employer
• An original of the annual social security statement received by the applicant for the current or preceding year
• An original of a Medicare or Medicaid statement received by the applicant
• Certified school record or transcript for the current or preceding year
• Hospital birth certificate
• An authenticated copy of a doctor’s record of post-natal care
• A federal affidavit of birth, form DS-10
  

6. Can I get a free Voter ID Card even if I have one of the other six forms of ID?

No, Voter ID Cards are only available to those people lacking sufficient voter identification.

7. Do I have to get a new Voter ID Card if I move?

Yes. You can obtain a new Voter ID Card with your new information on it from your county registrar's office in your new county or any Department of Driver Services office.