Absentee ballots on the way to voters for November election In person advance voting begins Oct. 17
Tuesday, Sept. 20, was the first day absentee ballots could be mailed to Georgia voters for the General Election on Nov. 8, 2016. To request an absentee ballot, voters can submit a written application to their local county registrar or log onto the office’s “My Voter Page (MVP)” to print the application and mail the completed form to their registrar.
“Through MVP, requesting an absentee ballot has never been easier in Georgia,” stated Secretary of State Brian Kemp. “I was proud to bring this new innovation to our state along with other helpful web-based platforms, such as the online voter registration system and the ‘GA SOS’ smartphone app. Georgia is a national leader in utilizing technologies to educate citizens about elections, voting, and the importance of participation in the electoral process for all levels of government.”
Voters are advised to request absentee ballots to vote by mail in the General Election well in advance of the Nov. 4, 2016 deadline. Uniformed military voters are only required to submit one absentee ballot application to receive absentee ballots for an entire election cycle.
“As Georgia’s chief elections official, I want to ensure every Georgian has the opportunity to register to vote and allow their voice to be heard at the polls,” said Kemp. “The right to vote for our public officials should never be taken for granted.”
Several other important dates are fast approaching for Georgians who want to vote in the General Election on Nov. 8.
The deadline to register to vote or update voter information is Oct. 11, 2016. Georgia citizens can submit an electronic voter registration application using their Georgia driver’s license number or state-issued identification card number on several platforms: Online Voter Registration (OLVR), the free “GA SOS” mobile app for Apple and Android devices, and the recently announced “2VOTE” text messaging pilot project. Individuals can also mail in hard-copy voter registration applications to their county registrar to register to vote by the deadline.
“It has never been easier to register to vote in our state,” said Kemp. “For the first time in Georgia, voters can register to vote or update their informa- tion online, via text, or by using the office’s smartphone app.”
By Oct. 11, voters should verify their voting information and, if necessary, update their record. The “My Voter Page” is a great resource to check your voter status, update your personal record, and view individualized voting information to prepare for November.
Advance in-person voting begins on Oct. 17. Georgia law also requires the polls to be open on Saturday, Oct. 29 in all 159 counties for Georgians to vote in the November contests.
In-person voting occurs on electronic voting equipment in Georgia. If you wish to cast a paper ballot, you must request an absentee ballot by Nov. 4. County officials are already accepting absentee ballot request applications from voters for the General Election.
Currently, there are over 6.4 million registered voters in the Peach State.
Brian Kemp has been Secretary of State since January 2010. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting secure, accessible, and fair elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities, charities, and professional license holders.