Politics

Voting early in the Georgia primaries? Here’s what to know.

Beat the lines, but bring your ID.
Georgia's early voting period for the May 19 primaries began Monday, April 27. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
Georgia's early voting period for the May 19 primaries began Monday, April 27. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
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Advance voting for the Georgia primaries and the nonpartisan judicial races began Monday and continues through Friday, May 15.

Here’s what you need to know if you want to vote early.

Who’s on the ballot?

Nearly every statewide office. That includes governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state school superintendent and the commissioners of agriculture, insurance and labor. One of Georgia’s two U.S. Senate seats is up for grabs, along with two of the nine state Supreme Court justices and two of the seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission.

Every seat in the U.S House and the state General Assembly also is on the ballot, along with some county-level offices and state court judgeships. Voters will also weigh in on a series of nonbinding ballot questions on the Democratic and Republican ballots.

Check out The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Georgia Voter Guide for information about these races.

Where to vote

Every county has at least one advance voting location. Larger counties have more. The Georgia Secretary of State’s website has a complete list of locations by county. Typically, early voting locations are open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays, but hours can vary by county. Some counties also have Sunday voting.

Before you go

First, make sure your registration is current. The Secretary of State’s website can help with that. You can also see a sample ballot there once you have found your registration.

Voters should also bring their Georgia driver’s license, passport or a voter ID card with them to the polls.

Absentee voting

Georgia offers no-excuse absentee voting for voters who cannot make it in person either during the early voting period or on the day of the election. But you have to request a ballot by mail from the Secretary of State’s office. Make that request here.

Absentee ballots can be returned by mail or in a secure ballot drop box.

About the Author

Chris Joyner is the politics editor. He has been with the AJC since 2010 as a member of the investigations and politics team.

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