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Step 1: Request your Ballot (Now!) 

Registered voters with a Georgia driver’s license can request an absentee ballot online at https://ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov/.  

Prefer paper? Apply for your absentee ballot using the paper form. You should apply NOW to give your county plenty of time to process your application.

All applications require a signature, which can be handwritten or digital. County officials will compare the signature on your application to the signature on your voter registration, so be sure the signatures are as similar as possible. If you registered to vote when you got a Georgia driver’s license, your voter registration signature is the signature on your license.

Most voters need to submit an application for every election in which they want to vote absentee.  This means that even if you voted by mail in the November election, you likely need to submit an additional request to receive an absentee ballot for the January runoff. If you are unsure whether you need to submit another application, there is no penalty for submitting more than one. Call 888-730-5816 if you need help.

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Step 2: Complete Your Ballot

Use a black pen to mark your ballot.  Fill in the oval completely next to the names of the candidates you are voting for.

Be sure the ink is dry before you fold your ballot and place it into the white envelope marked “Official Absentee Ballot.”  Seal the white envelope.  Then place the white envelope into the yellow envelope. Seal the yellow envelope.

If you completed your ballot without assistance, sign and print your name on the yellow envelope.

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Step 3: Return Your Ballot

There are several ways you can return your absentee ballot. 

1. Use a Drop Box in your county.
2. Drop if off at your county registrar’s office.
3. Mail it back. Don’t forget to add postage.

BE SURE TO LEAVE AT LEAST ONE WEEK FOR YOUR BALLOT TO ARRIVE AT COUNTY REGISTRAR AFTER MAILING.  NOT ENOUGH TIME?  YOU’LL NEED TO TAKE IT YOURSELF, USE A DROP BOX, OR YOU WILL NEED TO VOTE IN PERSON. 

Your ballot must be to the county by 7 pm on January 5.  This is not a postmark date, it is a received by date.

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Step 4: Check Your Ballot Status

You can check the status of your absentee ballot request and your absentee ballot by logging onto My Voter Page.

Find detailed instructions here.

When to call the voter protection hotline:

• If your application does not show as “received” within a few days of you submitting it
• If you haven’t received your ballot within a few days of it being “issued”
• If your ballot does not show as “received” within a few days of you submitting it
• If your ballot is not accepted

If your status on My Voter Page shows your ballot has been accepted, congratulations!  Your vote will be counted!

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Step 5: Cure Your Ballot Status (if necessary)

Has your ballot been rejected?

Depending on the reason why your ballot was rejected, you may be able to take an additional step to fix the problem and make sure your vote counts. This is called “curing” your ballot.   

What kind of ballot rejections can be cured? The most common case is a voter who forgets to sign the ballot envelope, or whose signature on the ballot envelope isn’t a close match to the signature the county has on file. Another case is voters who did not submit an ID to the State when they first registered to vote.

Curing your ballot is easy. Follow the directions provided here. 

YOU MUST COMPLETE THE CURE PROCESS BY 5:00 PM ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 8 FOR YOUR BALLOT TO COUNT.

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ABSENTEE VOTING FAQs

When should I apply for my absentee ballot?

Now. Seriously. Do it as early as possible.

When is the deadline for applying for an absentee ballot?

Generally speaking, DPG recommends applying to vote by mail for the Runoff election no later than December 14th.

I voted by mail in November. Won’t I automatically be sent a ballot for January and subsequent elections?

Probably not. Most voters have to reapply to vote by mail before every election. If you are over 65, have a physical disability, or live overseas, and you opted into receiving ballots for the full election cycle on a previous application, you will not need to reapply to receive your ballot for December 1, 2020 and January 5, 2021.  If you aren’t sure, go ahead and apply (there’s no penalty), or call the voter protection hotline.

I received an absentee ballot application in the mail. Should I use it?

Many voters are receiving applications from campaigns and third parties. You may use an application you receive in the mail to request a vote by mail ballot. Complete the application and mail it to your county elections office or drop it off at the office in person.

My county has dropboxes where I can submit my absentee ballot. Are they secure?

Drop boxes are required by law to be emptied by elections officials regularly, are fastened to the ground (or other immobile structure) and are under video surveillance.  Find a drop box in your county.

Can I use a drop box in another county? My county doesn’t have a drop box.

No.  You must use a drop box in your county for your ballot to make it to your county election office. If you don’t have access to a drop box in your county, return your absentee ballot by mail or in person to your county election office.

Can I still vote in person if I applied for an absentee ballot?

Yes, you can. So long as you have not already voted your absentee ballot, you can choose to vote in person. If you have your absentee ballot in your possession, take it with you to the polls and give it to the poll worker. The poll worker will dispose of your old ballot and let you vote at the polling place. If you do not have your absentee ballot in your possession (for example, you have not received it yet, or you’ve misplaced it), that’s okay too. Simply tell the poll worker you applied for one, but that you’d like to vote in person instead. The poll worker will ask you to sign a form where you swear you haven’t voted, and then you’ll be permitted to vote in person.