General Primary May 21, 2024
This year, voters will select their candidate of choice for the following offices: U.S. President, U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate, State Representative, Georgia Supreme Court Justices, and Georgia Appellate Court Judges. Additionally, there are municipal elections including the City of Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb counties, as well as statewide ballot measures. For complete details visit the GA My Voter Page.
KEY ELECTION DATES
April 29 – May 17, 2024: Early Voting
May 4 and 11, 2024: Mandatory Saturday Voting
May 5 and/or 12, 2024: Optional Sunday Voting
May 20, 2024: Federal Voter Registration Deadline (for Run-off if necessary)
May 21, 2024: Primary election
June 18, 2024: Primary runoff
November 5, 2024: General election
December 3, 2024: General runoff
After recent rules, restrictions, and redrawn maps have changed the landscape for voting in Georgia, we continue to fight to ensure that all our voices matter and votes count - that’s why, we’re challenging you to #GetVoteReady ahead of this year’s elections. As always, let’s make sure to:
Tell your Family, Friends & Community to do the same!
Here are the Top 10 Things you need to know about Georgia’s New Voting Law
Passage of SB 202, the so-called Election Integrity Act of 2021, makes several changes to Georgia’s voting laws which may impact the ways you cast your ballot in upcoming elections for local, state, and federal officials. The full 98-page text of the new legislation can be found here, but below you can find a list of the things you need to know to #GetVoteReady today!
+ You must have a valid ID if you plan to vote by mail (absentee ballot).
Instead of relying on your signature to verify your identity, voters will now need to submit a driver’s license number, state ID number or other documentation when both requesting and returning absentee ballots.
+ Early voting hours are changing.
All Georgia voters will be able to vote on two Saturdays before general elections and primaries, but weekend voting hours before runoffs will be reduced. The voting law requires a second Saturday of early voting statewide before general and primary elections. The additional Saturday means Georgia has 16 guaranteed days of early voting before each general or primary election. Sunday voting will remain optional, with county election offices given the authority to decide whether to open voting locations on up to two Sundays. Voting hours are set at 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and county election officials can choose longer hours, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
+ Drop boxes will only be available at early voting locations.
Georgia’s new voting law allows drop boxes only if they’re located inside early voting locations. They can only be used during in-person voting hours, and they will be shut down when early voting ends the Friday before election day. Each county is required to install at least one drop box, kept under “constant surveillance” by an election official, police officer or licensed security guard.
+ It’s illegal to hand out food and water to voters in line.
Distributing food and drinks to voters within 150 feet of the outer edge of a polling place or within 25 feet of any voter standing in line is punishable as a misdemeanor, which comes with up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Poll workers will be allowed to install self-service water receptacles for voters waiting in line.
+ Earlier absentee ballot deadlines.
The window to request absentee ballots begins later and ends sooner. Previously voters could request absentee ballots 180 days before election day. This year voters will be unable to request absentee ballots until 78 days before election day. The last opportunity to return an absentee ballot application is 11 days before election day.
+ Voting buses are banned.
Voting buses are to only be used in the event of an emergency as determined by the governor in polling places affected by disasters such as storms or power outages.
+ Provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct won’t count.
Previously when voters showed up at the wrong county polling place they were permitted to cast a provisional ballot. Any provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct will now be disqualified - with the exception of ballots cast after 5pm on election day when voters have less time to drive to their designated polling location.
+ Mass mailings of absentee ballot request forms are restricted.
Under the law voting organizations are only allowed to send absentee ballot applications to Georgians who haven’t already requested a ballot or voted. This will require organizations to check public election records to ensure they aren’t sending repeat requests or face a $100 fine for each duplicate absentee ballot processed by county election officials.
+ Unlimited challenges to voter eligibility are allowed.
Any voter can challenge the eligibility of as many voters in their county or city as they wish. Challenges must be made in writing and specify the grounds for the challenge. For example, a voter in Fulton County could challenge all the county’s 860,000 voters if he or she chooses to do so.
+ Long lines could result in more voting sites opening.
If voters have to wait in line for more than an hour before checking in to vote in a general election, county election officials will have to reduce the number of voters assigned to that precinct to no more than 2,000. In the event of this happening counties would have to open additional voting sites or reassign voters. Precinct managers are required to measure wait times three times per day on election day. This new rule only applies to general elections.
Stay Connected!
Sign up here for up to date information about Georgia’s election laws and changes to voting processes in our state.