ATLANTA, Ga. — Georgians hoping to cast a mail ballot in the Nov. 3 midterm are almost out of time. Friday is the last day for county election offices to accept absentee ballot applications, and after that, requests will be turned away.
Fewer voters are choosing that route this year. As of Wednesday evening, state election data showed about 154,000 absentee ballots requested, compared with nearly 286,000 during the 2022 midterm. Roughly 153,000 ballots have gone out so far, and more than 62,000 have already come back and been accepted.
The drop comes even as overall turnout runs at record levels. About 94% of Georgians who have voted so far did so in person at early voting sites, and in-person early turnout was more than 12% ahead of the 2022 pace as of Tuesday.
Georgia allows no-excuse absentee voting, so any registered voter can ask for a mail ballot without giving a reason. For college students living away from home, service members and Georgians abroad, older residents and voters with disabilities, voting by mail is often the easiest option, and sometimes the only one.
To apply, voters fill out the state application online or on paper, sign it by hand in ink as state law requires and send it to their county registrar by email, mail or fax, or drop it off in person. Applicants who are not registered with a Georgia driver’s license or state ID card must include a copy of another accepted form of identification. Listing a phone number or email address lets the county reach the voter if there is a problem with the application.
Completed ballots must reach the county registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count, so voters should send them back early. Anyone who requests a mail ballot can still change course and vote in person. Poll workers can cancel the absentee ballot at the voter’s request and issue a regular ballot instead, which also helps voters who make a mistake or worry their ballot will not arrive in time.
Section: More Atlanta GA politics news
Filed under: Atlanta GA Politics News
