The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which American citizens cast their ballots in their respective states.
On March 25, 2021, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) signed SB202 into law, enacting a series of changes to the state’s election administration procedures, including (but not limited to) the following:
- Absentee/mail-in voting:
- Absentee/mail-in ballots verified on the basis of driver’s license numbers instead of voter signatures (the last four digits of a Social Security number, and date of birth, permissible in lieu of a driver’s license number).
- Ballot drop boxes are made available only inside early voting locations during business hours.
- Ballot application deadline fixed at 11 days before Election Day.
- Early voting:
- For general elections, counties are required to offer early voting on two Saturdays; counties authorized, but not required, to offer early voting on two Sundays.
- For runoff elections, the early voting period is limited to a minimum of one week.
- Other election administration matters:
- State Election Board authorized to remove county election boards and replace them with interim election managers.
- Counties are required to certify election results within six days instead of 10.
- Prohibited the use of “photographic or other electronic monitoring or recording devices … to photograph or record a voted ballot.”
To learn more, visit Balletopedia and see the heading labeled Georgia enacts SB202, making several changes to the state’s election administration procedures.
The full text of the enacted bill can be accessed here.
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Georgia can contact the following state and federal agencies.
Georgia Secretary of State Elections Division2 MLK Jr. Dr. S.E.
Suite 802, Floyd West Tower
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Telephone: 404-656-2871
Fax: 404-651-9531
http://sos.georgia.gov/elections
U.S. Election Assistance Commission1335 East West Highway, Suite 4300Silver Spring, Maryland 20910Telephone: 866-747-1471