A bill introduced in the Georgia Senate would allow voters to sign up to vote by mail every election.

Georgia already allows any voter to mail a ballot, but Senate Bill 409 would eliminate the need to request an absentee ballot each primary, general and runoff election.

"This is going to help voters of all different political stripes," said state Sen. Elena Parent, a Democrat from Atlanta who introduced the bill Thursday. "To be honest, it's probably going to be most popular among older voters, and they tend to skew Republican."

Five states permit permanent absentee voting: Arizona, California, Montana, New Jersey and Nevada. Five other states use all-mail voting.

Under current Georgia law, voters with disabilities, living overseas or over 65 years old can fill out one absentee ballot application for all primary, general and runoff elections in a year, but they must re-apply each year.

It's unclear whether the bill will advance through the legislative process. Nine Democrats signed the measure but it lacks a co-sponsor from the Senate's Republican majority.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Athens-area voters will vote in a special election on Dec. 9 to fill a vacancy in House District 121. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Featured

Austin Walters died from an overdose in 2021 after taking a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl, his father said. A new law named after Austin and aimed at preventing deaths from fentanyl has resulted in its first convictions in Georgia, prosecutors said. (Family photo)

Credit: Family photo