What to bring with you to the polls
Georgia requires voters to show photo identification. Approved forms of identification include a Georgia driver's license, even if it's expired; a state-issued voter identification card; a valid U.S. passport; and a valid U.S. military photo ID. For more information on acceptable forms of identification, please visit the Secretary of State's website.
At the polls, pick one ballot
Because the state conducts an “open” primary, voters may vote on a ballot of any party – you make your choice at the polls. You cannot, however, vote in more than one party’s primary.
So, once you pick a ballot, you have to stick with that same political party even if there is a runoff (in other words, you can’t cast a Republican ballot in the main primary but then vote in a Democratic runoff).
To do before you go
Voters can see personalized sample ballots and verify their registration status on the Secretary of State's "My Voter Page" website.
Information about local elections and your “My Voter Page” can also be found on the state’s “GA Votes” mobile application. You can download the free app for both Apple and Android operating systems using either the iTunes app store for an iPhone or iPad or Google Play for Android.
Don’t make these mistakes
Sorry, no selfies allowed. That’s right, voting booths are just another of the many places in which you can’t bring your selfie stick or selfie arm.
Georgia code stipulates that “no elector shall use photographic or other electronic monitoring or recording devices or cellular telephones while such elector is within the enclosed space in a polling place.”
So basically, if you’re taking a photo of your ballot, a photo of you and your ballot or just a selfie of you proudly performing your civic duty then you’ll be breaking this law. So resist the urge to selfie and instead tell us #WhyIvoted after you vote.
Georgia law also prohibits display of political speech in a polling place. So no T-shirts, buttons or fliers featuring a candidate or position on a ballot question.
After you vote
Post the peach: What major issue is on your mind as you pick either a Democratic or Republican candidate as your official vote for the party's nominee? Let us know what brought you out to the polls via the hashtag #WhyIvoted. Post a photo to Instagram, to show us the reason you took to the polls. Or, take to Twitter to tell us what brought you out on Tuesday via the same hashtag.
Problem at the polls
If you see or experience problems, first contact your local elections office. If local officials can't help, the secretary of state's office has an online complaint form via the "elections" tab at www.sos.ga.gov.
Staff writers Kristina Torres and Erica Hernandez contributed to this report.
A total of 417,491 early ballots — 391,090 in-person and 26,401 by mail-in absentee — were cast in Georgia ahead of Tuesday's presidential preference primaries.
This year’s early voter turnout broke the state’s previous record for early voting in advance of the presidential preference primary. It was set in 2008 with a total of 271,418 early votes.
Approximately 100,000 Georgians cast ballots Friday, the last day of in-person early voting.
The number of Republican ballots cast was 260,443 — 242,609 in-person and 17,834 by mail-in absentee. The number of Democratic ballots cast was 156,663 — 148,142 in-person and 8,521 by mail-in absentee.
“The fact that nearly 100,000 people voted on Friday alone shows voters are getting engaged as they meet candidates visiting Georgia,” Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp said Friday. “Voters are having their voices heard, while candidates are enjoying our famous southern hospitality.”
On the Democratic front, frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have visited Atlanta within the past couple of weeks. Republicans Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Marco Rubio also recently visited the state.
The state's 21-day early voting period had a slow start, but balloting soon picked up the pace as presidential candidates ramped up the focus on Georgia.
The top five counties with the highest early voter turnout were Fulton with 38,441 votes; DeKalb with 31,547; Cobb with 29,491; Gwinnett with 24,453; and Cherokee with 14,179.
Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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