Voting words
Absentee Voting
Voting absentee means
filling out a paper ballot and
sending it (or taking) it to your county Election Office. Absentee voting is a great option if you need extra time, want to avoid lines, or cannot get to your polling place on election day.
To vote absentee, you must be registered to vote by October 11 and request an absentee ballot by October 28. Unlike earlier years, this year you’ll need to request an absentee ballot and print it out. It will not be sent to you automatically. You do not need a reason to vote absentee.
Request an absentee ballot online. You can also apply using My Voter Page.
Beginning on November 4, you can cast your absentee vote in person at your county election office. You must show a valid photo ID or Georgia voter ID, or provide other ID.
Absentee ballots must be received by the close of business day on Election Day, November 8. Send it in early! It is not good enough to postmark the ballot on election day. It must be received!
Absentee Voting Step by Step
Follow these steps because the process for voting absentee has gotten more complicated since 2021.
Apply for an absentee ballot. You can do this online. Print, complete, and sign the application. Make sure to include the following:the date of the election, your birthdate, an ID number from your state ID, passport, or other acceptable ID as explained on the application.
Submit the application to your county Election Office. You can mail it OR take it there in person OR send a photo or scan of the completed application.
Make sure your application has been received at My Voter Page. Your absentee ballot comes in the mail, so make sure to apply and complete the application as early as possible. Check your county Election Office to find out when absentee ballots will be mailed.
When your ballot arrives, the packet includes four things: instructions, a ballot, a white envelope, and a yellow envelope. Read the instructions! Ask a friend or caretaker if you need help. There are also instructions at the top of the ballot page.
To select a candidate, fill in the bubble by the candidate's name completely in black or blue pen. Let the ink dry before folding the ballot! Double-check to make sure you choose all the candidates you want to select.
Fold the ballot and place it in the white envelope marked Official Absentee Ballot. Seal the envelope.
Place the white envelope in the yellow envelope.
Under the flap on the reverse side of the yellow envelope: (a) sign the Voter Oath and (b) print your name. ( c ) Write your birth date (mm/dd/yyyy). (d) Write the number of your Georgia driver’s license or state ID number OR the last four digits of your social security number. You must use the yellow envelope, not one of your own envelopes. If someone helped you, there is a box for that person to complete on the reverse side of the yellow envelope. Use the checkbox on the back of the envelope to make sure your packet is complete.
If you need a replacement absentee ballot, keep your materials and ask your Election Office for another copy of the absentee ballot.
Submit your absentee ballot by mail, in person, or using a drop box. You have three ways to submit the ballot:
If you mail it, get it in early! The absentee ballot must receive it by 7:00 pm on Election Day. Make sure to put stamps on the envelope.
You can also hand in your ballot at your Election Office. They will give you an “I voted” sticker.” To check the hours, use My Voter Page.
You can submit your ballot using a Drop Box during the Early Voting period. You do not need stamps to do this.
Ballot
Use My Voter Page to make sure your ballot has been accepted.
If your ballot was rejected, follow these guidelines.
A list of who you can vote for in an election
The Branch Politics web site lets you see what will be on your ballot this year. Tip: You can choose candidates at this site and print out a list of the people you want to vote for. You can bring this list to the polling place if you vote in person. You can also bring the list to an election office if you vote early.
If you want to fill out your ballot absentee, you can apply for an absentee ballot.
Board of Elections
Every county in Georgia has a Board of Elections (also called “Election Office” or “Board of Registrar’s Office”). The people in this group are responsible for organizing elections, maintaining a polling place on Election Day, and protecting your rights. If you need special assistance on Election Day, your county Board of Elections can help.
Contact information for your Board of Elections
Board of Registrar’s Office
See Board of Elections
Candidate
A candidate is someone who wants to become an Elected Official.
Your Ballot is the list of candidates you can vote for in an election. The Branch Politics web site lets you see who will be on your ballot this year.
More information about learning about candidates…
Congress
In the United States, Congress makes laws for the whole country.
Congress has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Georgia has two US Senators in Congress as well as 14 members of the House of Representatives.
Learn more about the US Congress.
See Terms to find out how long Senators and Members of the House of Representative serve in office. Elections are held when an elected official’s term is over.
Georgia’s current Senators and Members of the House of Representative
The state of Georgia’s law-making body also has two parts, or houses: the Georgia State Senate and the Georgia House of Representatives
Drop Box
A big, secure container where you can leave your ballot when you take part in Early Voting or cast an Absentee vote. Drop Boxes are available only during the Early Voting period (October 17-November 4).
To find out the location(s) of drop boxes in your country, go to My Voter Page. Click My Polling Location. At the bottom of the page you will see a button to click to find the address of local drop boxes.
If you plan to use a Drop Box, use your Voter Plan and write down the address and hours of a convenient drop box in your county.
Under Georgia’s election law, there are fewer drop boxes in Georgia’s cities. Every county must have at least one drop box.
If you vote early, note that not every voting location has a drop box. Locations with a drop box can only be used during the early voting period (10/17-11/4).
All drop boxes are located in government buildings. You can only use a drop box when the government building is open. Drop boxes are not available 24 hours a day!
The drop box you use must be in your own county!
Remember that using a Drop Box means you will have to get out of the car. Make transportation arrangements if you will need a ride.
Read more about absentee voting to find out about turning in a ballot for someone else.
Learn more about Drop Boxes.
Early Voting
When you vote early, you can vote in person at any approved election office in your county between October 17 until November 4. Accommodations are provided for people who have difficulty seeing, use a wheelchair, or have other challenges. Ask a poll worker if you need support.
Early voting is the same thing as advanced voting and in-person absentee voting.
The ballot you use in early voting is the same as the one you use for in person voting on Election Day. Polls have audio ballots for people who are blind and booths for voters in wheelchairs.
If you vote early, make sure to bring a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or voter ID card.
Counties are required to allow voting on two additional Saturdays before election day. In 2022, the dates are 10/22 and 10/29.
Use My Voter Page to find out where and when you can vote early in your county. Click My Polling Location. At the bottom of the page you will see a button to click to find out the addresses and directions to your Early Voting locations.
Use My Voter Page to verify that your early vote was counted!
Learn more about early voting in person.
Elected Official
A person chosen by voters to take responsibility for running part of the county, state, or US government.
Election
An organized way for registered voters to choose Elected Officials in their county and state, and in the US as a whole.
There are three types of elections, Primary Elections, General Elections, and Runoff Elections.
Election Day
The official day for voting in the General Election.
In 2022, Election Day is November 8.
Find out other important election dates in 2022.
Election Office
See Board of Elections.
Electoral College
Voters do not directly elect candidates for President. Instead, Presidents are chosen by the Electoral College, a group of people selected by political parties before the General Election.
The number of electors in a state is based on how many members of Congress the state has. Georgia has 16 electoral votes (2 Senators plus 14 Members of the House of Representatives).
There are 538 Electoral votes in the Electoral College. The candidate with the most votes in the Electoral College (at least 270) becomes President. If no candidate wins 270 electoral votes, the House of Representatives chooses the President and the Senate chooses the Vice President.
So, does your vote for President matter? Yes. In most states, and in Georgia, the candidate who wins the most votes gets all the electoral votes of the winner’s political party in the state.
As a voter, you can vote in Primary, General, and Runoff Elections but not in the Electoral College.
General Election
In a General Election, voters decide which party’s candidate will serve in elected offices. General elections take place in November.
Governor
The highest Elected Official in a state
Georgia’s governor is Brian Kemp, a Republican. In 2022, Kemp will be running against Stacey Abrams, a Democrat.
In Person Voting
When you vote in person, you vote at your local Polling Place on Election Day.
You can find where to vote in person using My Voter Page or your Precinct Card. To vote in person, you need to bring a valid ID.
On Election Day, you can vote in person between 7 am and 7 pm.
People at the polling place are poll workers. They can answer your questions about how to complete the ballot and how to use the voting machines. They cannot answer questions about candidates.
Photo ID
A paper or card with your picture and other information about you.
There are several types of valid ID in Georgia (see the picture below for a list of types of valid ID).
Political party [need image]
In the US there are two main political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans.
Political parties have different beliefs about the important issues that matter to people with disabilities, such as jobs, education, health care, accessible transportation, and affordable housing.
When there are elections, each party usually has one candidate for each elected official.
Polling Place
The place in your county where you vote in person. Polling places are often in schools and community centers. You can find your polling place on your precinct card and on My Voter’s Page.
Your in-person vote will not count if you do not vote in the correct polling place!
Georgia recently outlawed the use of mobile voting centers, which can make it easier to vote in places with large polling places.
Precinct
When you register to vote, you are assigned to a precinct. This is your official election district. It is based on where you live. The address of your precinct is on your precinct card If you vote in person.
You can also find your precinct using My Voter Page.
If you vote in person, you vote in your precinct’s polling place.
Precinct Card
When you register to vote, your county mails you a precinct card, which has the address of your polling place. Here’s what a precinct card looks something like the following picture:
It can take four or more weeks to receive this card.
You do not need to bring the card when you vote in person.
You can access information about your precinct at My Voter Page. Online, you can check the "Email My Precinct Card" option and have the system email it to you. Contact your Board of Elections if you need help getting a precinct card.
Primary Election
In a Primary Election, voters choose who will be their party’s candidates for elected office. These candidates “run for office” in the general election in November.
Each major political party has its own primary election.
You can vote in only one primary election.
Purged Voters
Voters are purged when their name is removed from the list of registered voters. Reasons for purging include not voting for several elections and not updating your voter registration if you change your address or your name. To keep getting purged, make sure to vote in every election and to update your voter registration when your information changes.
You can make sure your voter registration status is active at My Voter Page. How do you find out if you have been purged? Check My Voter Page!
What happens if your name is purged? There are several things you can do:
After registering, vote in the next election!
Call or email your county election office (Board of Election) and tell them you’ve been purged.
You can also update your Driver’s License or Georgia ID card if it is out of date.
For details, listen to this podcast about vote purging in Georgia.
If you are purged, you can re-register to vote (see Register to Vote). Your county Board of Elections can give you advice if you have questions.
Register to Vote
Registering to vote is how you get on the list of people who can vote in your state. In Georgia you can register in person, online, or by mail. You can register if you are a US citizen, a resident of Georgia, at least 18 years of age, and not serving a sentence as a felon.
You can also register at Vote.org.
Deadlines. You can register online or in person as late as October 11. If you register by mail, your application must be postmarked by October 11. (The actual deadline is October 10, but that is a state holiday.)
To check your registration status, visit My Voter Page before October 11. If you are registered, you’ll see a green checkmark when you look up your name. If your status is “inactive” or “purged,” see the Purged Voters.
If you change your name or address, you need to update your voting registration.
After registering you have a choice of how to vote: In Person Voting, Absentee Voting, or Early Voting.
For More information on…
Representative
In the US people vote for candidates to represent, or speak for, them in government. Representatives have staff members who can help you answer questions about issues that matter to you.
In the US, Representatives (together with Senators) sit in Congress in Washington, DC. In Georgia, laws are made by the Assembly in Atlanta. Georgians have representatives – Senators and Representatives – in Atlanta.
Right to Vote
In the US you can vote if you are 18 years of age by election day and a citizen of the US. To vote in Georgia you must also meet Georgia’s residence requirements.
For people with disabilities, voting is a right protected by laws. According to the Voting Rights Act (1965), a person with disabilities can receive assistance from a person of his or her choice. The Help America Vote Act (2002) requires that polling places make voting accessible to people with disabilities. These laws also make it illegal to discriminate against people’s right to vote on account of race, gender, or disability
[cross reference to Stacey Ramirez webinar or other when ready]
“What if someone challenges your vote?”
Run for Office
When someone wants to be an Elected Official, they run for office. Another word is “campaign.” Campaigning consists of giving speeches, holding debates, running ads, going door to door, talking to people, and more. When they run for office, candidates explain their ideas and try to persuade people to vote for them.
Runoff
An election that’s held again because no candidate for office won a majority (more than half) of the votes.
In Georgia in 2022, the date for the runoff is December 6.
Early Voting for runoff elections starts the fourth Monday before the election date.
Senator
In the US laws are made by Congress. The Senate is part of Congress. Every state gets two votes in the Senate.
Georgia has two Senators:
Raphael Warnock, a Democrat.
Jon Ossoff, also a Democrat.
In 2022 Mr. Warnock is running for re-election against Herschel Walker, a Republican.
Term
How long an elected official stays in office.
The US president’s term is four years.
In the US Congress a senator’s term is six years. A Member of the House of Representative’s term is two years.
The governor of Georgia’s term is four years, and the governor can be elected for one additional term.
In the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate, the term is two years.
A midterm election (like 2022) takes place halfway (two years) into the US president’s term.
Voter ID Card
The state of Georgia offers free Voter ID cards for people who do not have another type of photo ID. To get a card, you can visit or write your county’s registrar’s office (Board of Elections) or the Georgia Department of Drivers’ Services.
To receive a voter identification card, the voter must provide:
A photo identity document or approved non-photo identity document that includes full legal name and date of birth
Documentation showing the voter's date of birth
Evidence that the applicant is a registered voter in Georgia
Documentation showing the applicant's name and residential address
Voting Accessibility
Voters with disabilities face many challenges, from registering to vote to casting a ballot. Federal laws require the entire voting process to be accessible to people with disabilities. The US Election Assistance Commission (EAC) writes guidelines and provides resources so that local election officials comply with federal laws.
Thanks to different federal laws…
Polling places in Georgia must be accessible to people who use a wheelchair.
People with visual disabilities may use appropriate accommodations, for example screens that display ballots in large print.
People with disabilities do not have to wait in line on election day between the hours of 9:30 am and 4:30 pm.
People with disabilities may bring a person of their choice to help them vote.
If you need special assistance or accommodations when you vote, or someone to help you vote, make sure to include the details in your Voting Plan. The law protects your right to choose anyone you want – except your employer – to help you complete your ballot.
What if you run into accessibility problems? Ask a poll worker. Or, you can call the Election Protection Hotline:
English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683)
Español: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (1-888-839-8682)
You can also call the Georgia Advocacy Office at (800) 537-2329 or (404) 885-1234.
What is voter accessibility? (video created by people with disabilities)
Voting
Voting is a way of choosing elected officials. The candidate with the most votes in an election wins and takes responsibility for the office.
Voting is one way people with disabilities can use their stories, wisdom, and experiences to influence laws and policy decisions in local and state communities and the US.
The three ways to vote in Georgia are Absentee Voting, Early Voting, and In Person Voting.
Voting Plan
Your voting plan is a document you create (or a piece of paper) with the following important information:
HOW you will vote (In Person, Early, Absentee)
WHO you will vote for
WHERE you will vote (if you vote early or in person); if you will use a Drop Box, include the address of the Drop Box in your plan. If you vote early, find the address of a convenient early voting location. If you vote in person, find the address of your precinct’s polling place
HOW you will get to the polling place (if you vote in person)
Who will Help you, if you will need assistance with In Person or Early Voting. Also include details about accommodations you might need, like a voting machine that displays your ballot in large letters.
