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How to Vote in Georgia

Election Day for the U.S. Senate and Public Service Commission runoffs is January 5, 2021. You can vote in person during the early voting period or on Election Day. You can also request an absentee ballot to vote by mail. There are also additional local elections and runoffs in some areas. Please contact your local election official for more information.



Who Can Vote


You have to register to vote before Election Day in Georgia. To register in Georgia you must:

  • be a citizen of the United States

  • be a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you want to vote

  • be 18 years old within six months after the day of registration, and be 18 years old to vote

  • not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude

  • not have been judicially determined to be mentally incompetent, unless the disability has been removed

  • *find more information on voting rights restoration here


Vote in Person Due to COVID-19, in-person services may have limited availability. Contact your local election office to confirm. See CDC guidance on safe in-person voting. Vote on Election Day Voters registered in Georgia can look up where to vote on Georgia's site.

Vote Early Georgia voters can also vote before Election Day. The early voting period runs from Monday, December 14, 2020 to Friday, January 1, 2021, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live.

What to bring

  • You will need to show photo ID to vote in Georgia. Acceptable forms include: 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 (DDS); Georgia driver's license, even if expired; valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the US Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state; valid US passport ID; valid US military photo ID; student photo ID card issued by a Georgia public college, university, or technical school; or a valid tribal photo ID.

  • Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you will be able to vote a provisional ballot. If you are a first-time voter, you will need to provide a copy of your ID within three days after the election to your County Board of Elections and Registration. As long as you do so, your provisional ballot will be counted, as long as you are otherwise eligible to vote.


Vote by Mail

  1. Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application. You can also request a ballot online. We encourage you to request and return ballots as early as possible.

  2. Fill out the application completely.

  3. Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Friday, January 1, 2021.

  4. When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

  5. Your ballot must be received by Tuesday, January 5, 2021 by 7:00 p.m. You may also return your ballot in person by Tuesday, January 5, 2021 by 7:00 p.m. You can find ballot tracking information here.


See What's on the Ballot Learn more about what will be on your ballot by visiting Georgia sample ballot or by visiting Ballotpedia.


Get Step-by-Step Help TurboVote can help you start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more. If you’d like more help planning how to vote, we can walk you through the process!


Election Day Registration Georgia does not offer registration on Election Day.



Military and Overseas Voters Active-duty military, their families, and overseas citizens can register to vote and request their absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA process is done by mail, but your state may offer other options to request and return ballots. Please contact your election official for more information about delivery and return methods, including email, fax, and state online portals. To follow the FPCA process:

  1. Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), or download a copy. Your election official may have questions, so please provide an email address or phone number where they can reach you.

  2. Send the application to your election official.

  3. It is never too early to submit an FPCA! Please do so as soon as possible.

  4. Please fill out and send back your ballot as soon as you receive it.

  5. States begin mailing absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day. If you haven't received your ballot by 30 days before Election Day, contact your local election office.

If after submitting your FPCA, your ballot does not arrive, contact your election official first. Then:

  • You can still vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Print, sign, and mail your FWAB to your local election office.

  • If you mail a FWAB and then receive your regular absentee ballot, you should complete and mail your absentee ballot also. Election officials will ensure that only one ballot is counted.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program – FVAP.gov offers additional information on military and overseas voting in Georgia. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE or email vote@fvap.gov


Check your voter registration status You can look up your voter registration record and verify that your information is correct using Georgia's voter registration lookup tool.


Key dates and deadlines Election day is Jan. 5 Registration Deadlines Online: Dec. 7 By mail: Postmarked by Dec. 7 Absentee Ballot Deadlines Request: Jan. 1 Return by mail: Received by Jan. 5 by 7:00 p.m. Return in person: Jan. 5 by 7:00 p.m. Early Voting Dec. 14 - Jan. 1, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live


This tool can be used to locate early and day-of voting locations, and valid drop off boxes for your ballot.


Election contact information for Georgia Address: Secretary of State 2 MLK Jr. Drive, Suite 802, Floyd West Tower Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone Number: (404) 656-2871

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