Election administration in Georgia

Election Information
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Time off work for voting
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
The Ballot Bulletin
State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its election administration.
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubmit

Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

THE BASICS

Georgia permits online voter registration.

Georgia permits early voting and no-excuse absentee/mail-in voting.

In Georgia, polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Georgia requires photo identification to vote.

Georgia holds open primary elections.

Georgia has tools for verifying voter registration.

Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Georgia:

• Poll times
• Voter registration
• Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy
• Voter identification requirements
• Provisional ballot rules
• Primary election type
• Time off work for voting
• Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

• Voter list maintenance
• Post-election auditing
• Election policy ballot measures
• Election policy legislation
• Ballot access
• Redistricting
• Election administration agencies

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Georgia, polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Eastern Time. In cities with a population greater than 300,000 people, polls remain open until 8 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Voter registration

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Georgia, one must be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of their county. The voter must be at least 17.5 years of age at the time of registration and 18 at the time of the election, and not serving a sentence for a felony conviction.

The deadline to register to vote is 29 days prior to the election. Registration can be completed online, in person, or by mail.

Automatic registration

In Georgia, eligible voters are automatically registered to vote when they conduct transactions at the Department of Driver Services. This automatic registration program began in 2016.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Georgia has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Georgia does not allow same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Georgia, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

A Georgia state law, passed in 2009, required voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. However, as of June 2025, the law had not been implemented.

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot require proof of citizenship with federal registration forms. That meant states would need to create a separate registration system for state elections in order to require proof of citizenship.

In Georgia, an individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who provides false information on a voter registration application is guilty of a felony.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site My Voter Page, run by the Georgia Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy

Early voting

See also: Early voting

Georgia permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee/mail-in voting

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Georgia. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee. The ballot application deadline is 11 days before Election Day. A completed ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Returning absentee/mail-in ballots

See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

An absentee/mail-in ballot in Georgia must be received by the voter’s county election official by the time the polls close on Election Day in order to be counted. Ballots can be submitted by mail, in person, or to a drop box, by the voter or a family member or person living in the voter's household. A voted absentee/mail-in ballot of a voter with a physical disability may also be returned by a caregiver.

Twenty states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Eight states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.

Signature requirements and cure provisions

Absentee/mail-in ballots in Georgia include a return envelope printed with an oath that the voter must sign in order for the ballot to be counted. If the envelope is missing a signature or election officials determine that the signature on the envelope does not match the voter’s signature already on file, the ballot will be rejected. Georgia law also requires voters to provide a driver's license, state identification card number, or social security number with their returned ballot.

Georgia law includes a cure provision allowing voters to fix a problem with the signature or other information on their ballot. Georgia law requires election officials to notify a voter whose absentee/mail-in ballot has been rejected. Voters have until the third day after the election to cure or fix the issues they have been notified about.

Thirty-three states have laws that include cure provisions, while 17 states do not. One state, Pennsylvania, allows counties to establish a cure process.

Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?

Voters can use the My Voter Page website provided by the Georgia Secretary of State to check the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot and absentee/mail-in ballot application.

Voter identification requirements

See also: Voter ID in Georgia

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Georgia requires voters to present photo identification while voting in person or by mail/absentee.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of August 2024. Click here for the Georgia Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

“

Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by your county registrar's office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services. A Georgia driver's license, even if expired Student ID from a Georgia public College or University Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state Valid U.S. passport ID Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter

”

Voters can obtain a free voter ID card from any county registrar's office or Department of Driver Services Office. Click here for more information on obtaining a free voter ID card in Georgia.

Thirty-five states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 23 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 15 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

Provisional balloting for voters without ID

Voters who do not have ID while voting may cast provisional ballots. See below for provisional ballot rules.

Provisional ballot rules

Voters in Georgia are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.

1) If the voter does not have the proper identification, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

2) If the voter registered to vote by mail and did not provide any identification at the time and is unable to do so the first time the voter votes in person, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

3) If the voter’s name does not appear on the list of registered voters in the precinct, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot. If the voter is registered in the same county but appears at the wrong precinct during the period between 5:00 p.m. and the close of polls, the voter must "execute a sworn statement, witnessed by the poll official, stating that he or she is unable to vote at his or her correct polling place prior to the closing of the polls and giving the reason therefor" before voting a provisional ballot.

4) If "the polling place is kept open after 7:00 p.m. because of a court order, anyone arriving after 7:00 p.m. will vote by provisional ballot."

A provisional ballot is accepted in the following circumstances:

• If the voter provided proper identification three days after the close of the polls to the county registrar office, the vote will count.
• If a provisional ballot is cast because the voter’s "name did not appear on the list of registered voters in the precinct, the county registrar has up to three days after the election to determine if you were properly registered to vote in that election." If the voter is properly registered, the vote will count.
• If the voter voted in the wrong precinct, "only the votes for candidates for which you were entitled to vote will be counted, and you will be notified in writing that your ballot was partially counted for your correct precinct."

A provisional ballot is rejected in the following circumstances:

• If the voter is not registered to vote;
• If the voter is ineligible to vote for some reason; and
• If the registrar is "unable to determine within three days following the election whether the voter was registered or eligible to vote."

Primary election type

See also: Primary elections in Georgia

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Georgia utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Time off work for voting

In Georgia, employers must grant employees two hours of unpaid leave at the beginning or end of working hours for voting, provided they have been notified by employees. State law says the following:

“

Each employee in this state shall, upon reasonable notice to his or her employer, be permitted by his or her employer to take any necessary time off from his or her employment to vote in any municipal, county, state, or federal political party primary or election for which such employee is qualified and registered to vote on the day on which such primary or election is held; provided, however, that such necessary time off shall not exceed two hours; and provided, further, that, if the hours of work of such employee commence at least two hours after the opening of the polls or end at least two hours prior to the closing of the polls, then the time off for voting as provided for in this Code section shall not be available. The employer may specify the hours during which the employee may absent himself or herself as provided in this Code section.

”

Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In Georgia, people convicted of a felony are unable to vote until the completion of their sentence, including prison, probation and parole. Voting rights are automatically restored once the sentence is completed.

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.

Voter list maintenance

All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.

When names can be removed from the voter list

Georgia law authorizes local election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:

• Has their registration challenged by another elector and the board of registrars uphold that challenge,
• Is determined to be mentally incompetent,
• Confirms in writing that they moved outside of their voting jurisdiction,
• Dies,
• Is convicted of a felony, or
• Remains on the inactive voter registration list through two general elections.

Inactive voter list rules

Voters who the Georgia Secretary of State’s office determines to have moved by using National Change of Address data are sent address confirmation notices. If the voter does not respond to the notice, the secretary of state’s office is to place them on an inactive voter registration list.

In odd-numbered years, state law requires the secretary of state’s office to identify all voters with whom there has been "no contact" within the past five preceding calendar years. State law defines "no contact" to mean "that the elector has not filed an updated voter registration card, has not filed a change of name or address, has not signed a petition which is required by law to be verified by the election superintendent of a county or municipality or the Secretary of State, has not signed a voter's certificate, has not submitted an absentee/mail-in ballot application or voted an absentee/mail-in ballot, and has not confirmed the elector's continuation at the same address during the preceding five calendar years." These voters are to be sent confirmation of address notices. If the notice is not returned, the voter is placed on an inactive voter registration list.

Inactive voters are not included in calculations for election administration procedures. Inactive voters are eligible to vote under Georgia law but must verify their address at their polling place. If a voter remains in inactive status through two general elections, their registration is to be canceled.

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."

Twenty-five states are participating members in the ERIC program. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have joined and participated in ERIC at some point.

As of August 2024, Georgia was a participating member in ERIC.

Post-election auditing

Georgia state law requires post-election audits. Local election superintendents conduct a manual inspection of randomly selected paper ballots. The audit must be completed before certification of the election and released to the public within 48 hours of completion. As of August 2024, Georgia was also piloting a risk-limiting auditing program.

Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.

Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

Forty-six states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law, excluding states with pilot programs. Of these, 39 states and the District of Columbia require traditional post-election audits, while three states require risk-limiting post-election audits, and three states require some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.

Election administration authorities

State election officials

In Georgia, the secretary of state and the Georgia State Election Board share election administration responsibilities.

The secretary of state is an elected position in Georgia. According to the secretary's website: "The Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s Office organizes and oversees all election activity, including voter registration, municipal, state, county, and federal elections. They are responsible for certification of election results as well as certifying the qualification of candidates and preparation of ballots and election forms and materials."

The five members of the Georgia State Election Board include one nonpartisan chairperson appointed by a joint resolution of both houses of the Georgia General Assembly, and one member appointed by each of the following entities: the Georgia House of Representatives, Georgia State Senate, the Republican Party of Georgia and the Democratic Party of Georgia. As of December 2024, the board consisted of three Republicans, one Democrat, and the nonpartisan chair, who was appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp (R) to fill a vacancy. According to the secretary of state's website, the responsibilities of the State Election Board include:

“

Promulgating rules and regulation to promote uniformity in election practices, and to promote legality and purity in elections; Investigating the administration of elections and frauds and to report findings to the Attorney General or responsible district attorneys; Making recommendations to the General Assembly regarding elections; Developing rules and regulations about what constitutes a vote that will be counted; Educating the public about voting and offering voting education programs; and, Taking such other action as the board may deem appropriate to conduct 'fair, legal and orderly elections.'

”

Until 2021, when Kemp signed Senate Bill 202, the secretary of state chaired the State Election Board. As a result of the legislaiton, the secretary of state became a nonvoting member of the board.

Local election officials

---

Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

---

Noteworthy events

Rule changes adopted by the Georgia State Election Board and legal challenges (2024-2025)

Ahead of the November 5, 2024, general election, the Georgia State Election Board (SEB) proposed and adopted a series of rule changes related to election administration in the state. The board adopted at least 10 new rules beginning in August. The Fulton County Superior Court blocked seven of them before the election, while the remaining three went into effect on October 22. Democracy Docket, which says it "delivers detailed analysis and expert commentary on voting rights and election litigation and policy," reported the rules as follows:

“

Hand Count Rule (Passed on Sept. 20): Requires three election workers to unseal every box of ballots printed from scanner machines at a polling location and hand count them to ensure that their counts match the machine totals. This rule will require election workers to count the total number of ballots, but not which candidate received more votes. ... Reconciliation Reports Rule (Passed on Sept. 20): Mandates counties to publish online reports detailing the difference between the number of total ballots cast and the total number of voters reported voting in each precinct. ... Reconciliation Rule (Passed on Sept. 20): Requires either each county board of elections or election workers to verify the total ballot count against tabulation tape from each individual ballot scanner in the county. ... Daily Reporting Rule (Passed on Sept. 20): Requires counties to issue a daily report with details of which voters have cast their votes early or through absentee ballots. ... Recorded Count Rule (Passed on Sept. 20): Requires an election worker and two witnesses to record the ballot count from the tabulation tape in every ballot scanner in a given polling location. ... Poll Watcher Rule (Passed on Sept. 20): Increases the number of designated locations where poll watchers may observe the election process. ... Examination Rule (Passed on Aug. 19): Allows individual county election board members to 'examine all election related documentation created during the conduct of elections prior to certification of results.'  ... Reasonable Inquiry Rule (Passed on Aug. 6): States that a county board can only certify an election 'after reasonable inquiry that the tabulation and canvassing of the election are complete and accurate and that the results are a true and accurate accounting of all votes cast in that election.' ... Drop Box Rule (Passed on Aug. 6): Requires voters who drop off an absentee ballot at a drop box location to provide a signature, photo ID, and, if applicable, evidence of their relationship to the person whose ballot they are submitting ... Surveillance Rule (Passed on Aug. 6): Requires video surveillance at ballot drop boxes and states that ballots placed in non-monitored drop boxes should not be counted.

”

At least seven lawsuits were filed in response to the new rules. See below for a timeline of events related to the litigation:

• June 10, 2025

  The Georgia Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision agreeing with the lower court that the State Elections Board did not have the authority to adopt four of the seven rules challenged by plaintiffs. The court remanded the case to the lower court for reconsideration of standing for the challenges to two rules, the poll watcher and the daily reporting rule, while it found that the rule requiring surveillance of drop boxes did not violate state law. Chief Justice Nels Peterson wrote in the opinion that "the SEB can pass rules to implement and enforce the Election Code, but it cannot go beyond, change, or contradict the statutory scheme." Read the full opinion below.

  June 10 state supreme court opinion

• March 19, 2025

  The state supreme court held oral arguments in the case.

• December 17, 2024

  The Georgia Supreme Court consolidated the appeals.

• December 9, 2024

  The state of Georgia appealed the October 16 order to the state supreme court.

• November 15, 2024

  The RNC appealed the October 16 order to the state supreme court.

• October 22, 2024

  The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously denied a request to stay the lower court's order blocking implementation of the rules and left the lower court's injunction in place until a full decision was delivered. The court also declined to consider the case on an expedited schedule.

• October 18, 2024

  The Georgia Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal filed by Republican National Committee (RNC) and Georgia Republican Party, who intervened in the original case. The plaintiffs asked the state supreme court to issue a stay of the lower court's injunction, blocking enforcement of the rules, until a resolution of the appeal. On October 22, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected the plaintiff's request for a stay

• October 16, 2024

  Judge Thomas A. Cox of the Fulton County Superior Court issued an order in Eternal Vigilance Action v. State of Georgia, blocking the board from enforcing seven of the rules—the reasonable inquiry rule, the examination rule, the drop box rule, the surveillance rule, the poll watcher rule, the daily reporting rule, and the hand count rule—writing, "The state and the [state election board] are hereby directed to immediately remove these rules from their roles and official reporting and to immediately inform all state and local election officials that these rules are void[.]"

• October 15, 2024

  Judge Robert C. McBurney of the Fulton County Superior Court issued an order in Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration v. State Election Board, temporarily blocking the hand count rule from being enforced.

---

View all

Click here to read more about the state election board.

Federal appeals court ruling on postage for absentee/mail-in ballots (2021)

On August 27, 2021, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit unanimously affirmed a lower court's decision finding that a Georgia law requiring voters to pay the price of postage for returning absentee/mail-in ballots does not constitute an illegal poll tax. The plaintiffs had argued that requiring absentee/mail-in voters to pay the price of postage amounted to levying a poll tax, violating the Fourteenth and Twenty-Fourth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The defendants (state and local election officials) moved to dismiss. A U.S. District Court granted the motion to dismiss, citing "[t]he fact that any registered voter may vote in Georgia on election day without purchasing a stamp, and without undertaking any 'extra steps' besides showing up at the voting precinct and complying with generally applicable election regulations." The plaintiffs then appealed to the Eleventh Circuit.

The Eleventh Circuit panel—comprising Judges Elizabeth Branch (a Donald Trump (R) appointee), Britt Grant (another Trump appointee), and Edward Carnes (a George H.W. Bush (R) appointee)—unanimously affirmed the lower court's ruling. Branch, writing for the court, said, "While voting often involves incidental costs like transportation, parking, child care, taking time off work, and—for those who choose to vote absentee by mail—the cost of a postage stamp, those incidental costs do not mean that Georgia has imposed an unconstitutional poll tax or fee on its voters."

In response to the ruling, Sean Young, legal director for the Georgia affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (which was involved in the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs), said, "We are disappointed in the outcome. The ACLU of Georgia will continue to protect the sacred fundamental right to vote." Regarding the possibility of an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States, Young said, "All legal options remain on the table."

Election administration procedures changed (2021)

On March 25, 2021, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) signed SB202 into law, enacting a series of changes to the state's election administration procedures, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Absentee/mail-in voting:
  • Absentee/mail-in ballots verified on the basis of driver's license numbers instead of voter signatures (the last four digits of a Social Security number, and a date of birth, permissible in lieu of a driver's license number).
  • Ballot drop boxes made available only inside early voting locations during business hours.
  • Ballot application deadline fixed at 11 days before Election Day.
• Early voting:
  • For general elections, counties required to offer early voting on two Saturdays; counties authorized, but not required, to offer early voting on two Sundays.
  • For runoff elections, early voting period limited to a minimum of one week.
• Other election administration matters:
  • State Election Board authorized to remove county election boards and replace them with interim election managers.
  • Counties required to certify election results within six days instead of 10.
  • Prohibited the use of "photographic or other electronic monitoring or recording devices ... to photograph or record a voted ballot."

The full text of the enacted bill can be accessed here.

In its original form, SB202 would have barred persons and entities from sending unsolicited absentee/mail-in ballot applications to voters who had already requested, been issued, or voted an absentee/mail-in ballot. On March 25, 2021, the Georgia House of Representatives approved an amended version of the bill (which included the aforementioned changes) by a vote of 74. Later that day, the Georgia State Senate concurred in the House amendments by a vote of 34-20. Both the House and Senate votes split along party lines, with Republicans voting in favor of the bill and Democrats voting against it.

Upon signing the bill into law, Kemp said, "After the November election last year, I knew like so many of you that significant reforms to our state elections were needed. When voting in person in the state of Georgia, you must have a photo ID. It only makes sense for the same standard to apply to absentee ballots as well."

Federal judge requires state to allow voters to correct signature mismatches (2018)

On October 25, 2018, Judge Leigh Martin May of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia issued a temporary restraining order requiring Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R) to give the following instructions to state election officials:

“

All county elections officials responsible for processing absentee ballots shall not reject any absentee ballots due to an alleged signature mismatch. Instead, for all ballots where a signature mismatch is perceived, the county elections official shall treat this absentee ballot as a provisional ballot, which shall be held separate and apart from the other absentee ballots. ... The county elections official shall then provide pre-rejection notice and an opportunity to resolve the alleged signature discrepancy to the absentee voter. ... All county elections officials responsible for processing absentee ballot applications shall not reject any absentee ballot application due to an alleged signature mismatch. Instead, for all ballot applications where a signature mismatch is perceived, the county elections official shall ... provide a provisional absentee ballot to the absentee voter along with information as to the process that will be followed in reviewing the provisional ballot.

”

May found that the plaintiffs in two lawsuits were likely to succeed in their due process challenge of the state's signature matching requirements.

Kemp requested that May stay the order pending appeal. His attorneys wrote, "Last-minute challenges to longstanding election procedures have long been disfavored because they threaten to disrupt the orderly administration of elections, which is essential to the functioning of our participatory democracy." Andrea Young, executive director of ACLU Georgia, which was a party to one of the lawsuits, said, "We are disappointed that the Secretary of State is unwilling to grant due process to Georgia citizens who vote by absentee ballot." May did not stay the order.

On November 2, 2018, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit denied Kemp's request for a stay of May's order. In a March 21, 2019, written opinion, Judges Jill Pryor and Kevin Newsom issued concurrences in the denial of the stay, and Judge Gerald Tjoflat issued a dissent.

Election policy ballot measures

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Georgia ballot measures

Recent legislation related to election administration in Georgia

The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Georgia. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia

• 
  Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

  Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker provides daily updates on legislative activity related to election policy in all 50 states.
  
  Our election policy experts translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries. And because it's from Ballotpedia, our legislation tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.
  Search bills
• 
  Read Ballotpedia's State of Election Administration Legislation Reports

  Ballotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state.
  
  These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
  Read the latest report
• 
  
  Subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin

  The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy.
  
  The newsletter tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
  Subscribe

Ballot access

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Georgia

In order to get on the ballot in Georgia, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Georgia. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Georgia

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Georgia's 14 United States Representatives and 236 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.

Georgia was apportioned 14 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Georgia after the 2020 census.

HIGHLIGHTS

Following the 2020 United States Census, Georgia was apportioned 14 congressional districts, which was unchanged from the number it had after the 2010 census.

Georgia's House of Representatives is made up of 180 districts; Georgia's State Senate is made up of 56 districts.

In Georgia, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature.

State process

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

In Georgia, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature. A simple majority in each chamber is required to approve redistricting plans, which are subject to veto by the governor.

The Georgia Constitution requires that state legislative districts be contiguous. There are no similar requirements for congressional districts.

Contact information

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Georgia can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Georgia County Election Offices

Click here for a list

Georgia Secretary of State Elections Division

2 MLK Jr. Drive

Suite 802 Floyd West Tower

Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Phone: 404-656-2871

Fax: 404-463-5231

Email: https://sos.ga.gov/form/contact-us

Website: https://sos.ga.gov/elections-division-georgia-secretary-states-office

Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission

200 Piedmont Avenue SE

Suite 1416 West Tower

Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Phone: 404-463-1980

Fax: 404-463-1988

Email: gaethics@ethics.ga.gov

Website: http://ethics.ga.gov/

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website: https://www.eac.gov

Ballotpedia's election coverage

Click the tiles below to navigate to 2025 election coverage:

U.S. Congress special elections

Governors

Attorney general

Other state executives

State legislatures

State ballot measures

Local ballot measures

State judges

Local judges

Municipal government

School boards

Recall

Democratic primaries 2026

• United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2026
• United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
• Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
• Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
• Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
• State legislative Democratic primaries, 2026

Republican primaries 2026

• United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2026
• United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
• Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
• Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
• Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
• State legislative Republican primaries, 2026

See also

• State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
• Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
• Voting in Georgia
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Georgia
• Redistricting in Georgia

Elections in Georgia

• Georgia elections, 2025
• Georgia elections, 2024
• Georgia elections, 2023
• Georgia elections, 2022
• Georgia elections, 2021
• Georgia elections, 2020
• Georgia elections, 2019
• Georgia elections, 2018
• Georgia elections, 2017
• Georgia elections, 2016
• Georgia elections, 2015
• Georgia elections, 2014

External links

• Georgia Secretary of State - Elections