Student Voting Project | Georgia

Voting at School

ID Requirements

All voters must show photo ID at the polls to vote a regularballot.  Acceptable forms of photo ID include:a Georgia drivers' license (which can be expired), a valid U.S. passport, avalid employee ID card from the federal or any level of Georgia government, amilitary ID, a tribal identification card, or any other photo ID card issued byany agency of the state or federal government, including a Georgia voter IDcard.   If you go to a public college or universityin Georgia,you'll be able to use your student ID.  VoterID cards are provided for free in every county; to get one, you need to providedocuments that show your legal name and date of birth, proof that you'reregistered to vote in Georgia,and your name and address where you're registered.  If you can't show ID, you'll have to vote aprovisional ballot, which won't be counted unless you provide ID to the countyregistrars within two days after the election.

Additionally, if you are a first-time voter who wants tovote by mail, and the state wasn't able to verify the identifying numbers youlisted on your registration form (i.e., your Georgia driver's license number ornon-driver ID card number, or the last four digits of your Social Securitynumber), you will have to include a copy of ID with your mail-in ballot.  Acceptable ID includes one of theabove-listed forms of photo ID, or a current utility bill, bank statement,government check, paycheck, or other government document with your name andaddress on it. 

Registration Requirements

You must register to vote by the close ofbusiness on the fifth Monday before Election Day. (This means, if the electionis on a Tuesday, registration is due 29 days before the election.) If you mailin your registration, it must be postmarked by that day.

Residency Requirements

If you move to a school address in Georgia with the present intent of making ityour fixed home, you should be able to establish voting residency in Georgia.  While Georgia law does talk about making aplace your "permanent home,"court cases have made clear that if you have a present intention to remain atyour school address, a "floating intention... to move somewhere else at somefuture period" won't stop you from establishing residency.  Georgia law defines votingresidence as domicile.

Students who lived in Georgiabefore moving to another state for school, and who wish to establish or keeptheir Georgiavoting residence (i.e., at their parents' address), should have no problemdoing so unless they've already registered to vote in another state.  Like all states, Georgia allows students to keeptheir voting residency even if they move out of the county or state to attendschool.  The only way you might lose this residency is if you "abandon" itby asserting residency in a new state. While registering to vote in anotherstate is not automatically considered an abandonment of residency in Georgia, somejudges or officials might view it as such.

If you're initially found ineligible on the basis ofresidence by the county board of registrars, you'll be notified by mail.  Additionally, your residency can bechallenged by another voter when you apply orquestioned by the board of registrars  after your registration but before theelection.  If another voter wants tochallenge your registration, they have to do so in writing, giving specificgrounds for the challenge.  The burden is on them to prove that you'renot eligible.  If your registration is questioned orchallenged, you'll be given a hearing with at least three days' notice, and you can appeal the decision to court within ten days. 

Your residency can also be challenged before an election byanother voter.  The challenge must bemade in writing and must be made before you vote. (Ifyou vote by absentee ballot, the challenge has to be made by 5:00 pm on the day before theelection.)  If there's time before the polls close, theboard of registrar will hear the challenge then and  you'll either be allowed to vote or not;otherwise, you'll vote by challenged ballot and a full hearing will be heldafter the election.  You can appeal thatthat hearing to court in the same way.

Absentee Requirement

Georgia has no-fault absentee voting, including for first-time voters.  Your request for an absentee ballot has to be received by close of business of the Friday before the election.  Your absentee ballot must be received by the county board of registrars' office by the close of the polls on Election Day.  First-time voters who registered by mail and whose identities have not been verified by the state will have to include a copy of ID with their absentee ballots (see ID section above).

Voting at Home

ID Requirements

All voters must show photo ID at the polls to vote a regularballot.  Acceptable forms of photo ID include:a Georgia drivers' license (which can be expired), a valid U.S. passport, avalid employee ID card from the federal or any level of Georgia government, amilitary ID, a tribal identification card, or any other photo ID card issued byany agency of the state or federal government, including a Georgia voter IDcard.   If you go to a public college or universityin Georgia,you'll be able to use your student ID.  VoterID cards are provided for free in every county; to get one, you need to providedocuments that show your legal name and date of birth, proof that you'reregistered to vote in Georgia,and your name and address where you're registered.  If you can't show ID, you'll have to vote aprovisional ballot, which won't be counted unless you provide ID to the countyregistrars within two days after the election.

Additionally, if you are a first-time voter who wants tovote by mail, and the state wasn't able to verify the identifying numbers youlisted on your registration form (i.e., your Georgia driver's license number ornon-driver ID card number, or the last four digits of your Social Securitynumber), you will have to include a copy of ID with your mail-in ballot.  Acceptable ID includes one of theabove-listed forms of photo ID, or a current utility bill, bank statement,government check, paycheck, or other government document with your name andaddress on it. 

Registration Requirements

You must register to vote by the close ofbusiness on the fifth Monday before Election Day. (This means, if the electionis on a Tuesday, registration is due 29 days before the election.) If you mailin your registration, it must be postmarked by that day.

Residency Requirements

If you move to a school address in Georgia with the present intent of making it your fixed home, you should be able to establish voting residency in Georgia.  While Georgia law does talk about making a place your "permanent home," court cases have made clear that if you have a present intention to remain at your school address, a "floating intention... to move somewhere else at some future period" won't stop you from establishing residency.  Georgia law defines voting residence as domicile.

Students who lived in Georgia before moving to another state for school, and who wish to establish or keep their Georgia voting residence (i.e., at their parents' address), should have no problem doing so unless they've already registered to vote in another state.  Like all states, Georgia allows students to keep their voting residency even if they move out of the county or state to attend school.  The only way you might lose this residency is if you "abandon" it by asserting residency in a new state. While registering to vote in another state is not automatically considered an abandonment of residency in Georgia, some judges or officials might view it as such.

If you're initially found ineligible on the basis of residence by the county board of registrars, you'll be notified by mail.  Additionally, your residency can be challenged by another voter when you apply or questioned by the board of registrars  after your registration but before the election.  If another voter wants to challenge your registration, they have to do so in writing, giving specific grounds for the challenge.  The burden is on them to prove that you're not eligible.  If your registration is questioned or challenged, you'll be given a hearing with at least three days' notice,  and you can appeal the decision to court within ten days. 

Your residency can also be challenged before an election by another voter.  The challenge must be made in writing and must be made before you vote. (If you vote by absentee ballot, the challenge has to be made by 5:00 pm on the day before the election.)  If there's time before the polls close, the board of registrar will hear the challenge then and  you'll either be allowed to vote or not; otherwise, you'll vote by challenged ballot and a full hearing will be held after the election.  You can appeal that that hearing to court in the same way.

Absentee Requirement

Georgiahas no-fault absentee voting, including for first-time voters.  Your request for an absentee ballot has to bereceived by close of business of the Friday before the election.  Your absentee ballot must be received by thecounty board of registrars' office by the close of the polls on Election Day.  First-time voters who registered by mail and whoseidentities have not been verified by the state will have to include a copy ofID with their absentee ballots (see ID section above).

[1] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-217

[2]O.C.G.A. § 21-2-217(3)

[3] Clark v. Hammock, 228 Ga. 157, 158 (Ga. 1971) (quoting Worsham v. Ligon, 87 S.E. 1025, 1027 (Ga. 1916)).

[4] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-2L.

[5] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-226

[6] O.C.G.A. § 21-229(a)

[7] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-228(a).

[8] Id.

[9] Id.

[10] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-228(d).

[11] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-229(b)

[12] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-229.

[13] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-228(f).

[14] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-229

[15] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-230(a)

[16] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-229, -230.

[17] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-224.

[18] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-417. 

[19] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-417.1.

[20] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-419

[21] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-386.

[22] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-380.

[23] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-384(a)(2)

[24] O.C.G.A. § 21-2-386.