Sharyl Sutton, Voter Education Coordinator for the Georgia Office of Secretary of State said that Georgians are encouraged to cast an absentee ballot for the June 9, 2020 General Primary election but added that folks have the choice to vote in-person with the new, paper ballot system.
In a press release Sutton said voters may drop off absentee ballots until precisely 7 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, June 9 at their county elections office or in their county drop box. Sutton said voters who prefer to vote in-person, should take the following precautions.
Consider bringing a face covering. Expect to see poll workers wearing masks during this June 9, 2020 advance and election day voting due to COVID-19 pandemic. Voters are not required to wear a face covering to enter the precincts, but Secure the Vote is encouraging it.
Review your specific ballot on the Georgia Office of the Secretary of State website, mvp.sos.ga.gov in an effort to reduce time inside the polls casting selections on the voting machine. Many county ballots include more than a couple dozen combined elections and referenda.
Confirm your polling place. Some sites have consolidated due to the virus. You may verify your voting precinct at mvp.sos.ga.gov or call your county elections office.
Bring your absentee ballot if you requested for one to be mailed to you. That ballot must be canceled before you can vote in person.
Plan to wait in line. Due to the long ballot in this General Primary, the sanitation measures in effect from CDC.gov recommendations, along with social distancing guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19, county elections offices are anticipating greater wait periods as fewer voters are allowed into the polls at one time. Just cancelling your absentee ballot usually takes 15-20 minutes. Poll workers are also sanitizing machines, voter cards and other surfaces to ensure the safest environment for the public.
Upon arriving at the polls:
Prepare to show a valid, state or federal government issue photo ID, including a free ID card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services. This identification may include a 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 the state, valid U.S. passport ID, valid U.S. military photo ID or valid tribal photo ID.
Social distance by standing 6’ away from others while waiting in line.
Remember to review your selections, print your ballot at your individual voting station, and finally, cast your paper ballot in the scanner before leaving the polls.
Finally, the Georgia Office of Secretary of State is providing three styli for each ballot marking device which counties may offer voters who prefer not to touch the screen. Poll workers will sanitize each stylus after every single use.