What to know about voter registration in Georgia
The deadline to register to vote in Georgia for the midterms is Monday.
If you’re not registered and want to weigh in on the high-stakes elections this year, here’s what you need to know.
Who is eligible?
Anyone at least 17 and a half, a legal resident of the county they register in and a U.S. citizen is eligible to register. To cast a ballot, you must be at least 18 on Election Day.
People serving a sentence for a felony conviction for “moral turpitude” and those deemed to be mentally incompetent by a judge are ineligible.
How to register
You can submit an application online or through the mail to the secretary of state’s office. Also, Georgia automatically registers eligible voters when they get a driver’s license unless they opt out.
Applicants must either have a valid Georgia driver’s license on file with the Georgia Department of Driver Services or a department-issued identification card.
About 8.2 million people are currently registered to vote in Georgia.
When and where to vote
Early voting for the Nov. 3 election runs from Oct. 13 through Oct. 30. Election officials begin sending mail ballots Monday, the registration deadline.
Voters can cast in-person ballots at any early voting site in their county. But they must vote at their designated polling location on Election Day.
Most Georgians typically vote early and in-person. But any registered voter is eligible to cast an absentee ballot, which can be delivered by mail, returned to a voter’s county elections office or dropped off at an official ballot drop box.
Absentee ballots must be returned by the time polls close on Election Day to be counted. The last day to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 23.
The secretary of state’s office has more information about registering to vote and voters can check their registration status through the state’s My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
