Questions about voting in the upcoming election in Middle Georgia? We have answers
With the new coronavirus pandemic, elections have been postponed to ensure the safety of poll workers and voters as much as possible.
Voters are encouraged to vote by mail via absentee ballots, and drop-off boxes may be installed to help people vote more safely.
Voting under usual circumstances can be difficult to navigate, but doing it during a pandemic? Odds are you have plenty of questions. We did our best to answer them:
When is the next election?
The next election will be held on June 9. Middle Georgia voters will select a presidential candidate, vote for federal and state representatives in party primaries, and vote in local mayoral, county commissioner and other county races.
When is early voting?
Early voting began on May 18 and will continue through June 5.
How do I vote early?
People can find out when and where to early vote on their www.mvp.sos.ga.gov page. After you login, there is a box to the right with information about polling places. Click the link for early voting locations and times.
Where do I vote?
The closest voting precinct to your address is not necessarily where you are supposed to vote. When you check your voter registration status at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov, voting precinct is listed as well as links to directions and early voting locations and times.
How do I know what is going to be on my ballot?
If you login to view your voter registration, underneath your voter information is a link to view your sample ballot. People can also request a sample ballot from their county registration office.
Will everyone automatically receive an absentee ballot in the mail?
No. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that his office would be mailing every registered voter in active status an absentee ballot request form in the mail. A voter must fill out this form and send it back to their county registration office.
How do I receive an absentee ballot in the mail?
To receive an absentee ballot, a voter must fill out an absentee ballot application and submit it to their county voter registration office either through the mail, in an email with the application attached or by fax, according to the Secretary of State’s website.
If you do not receive an absentee ballot application in the mail, you can find the form at sos.ga.gov/admin/files/Fillable%20Absentee%20Ballot%20Form%2020.pdf
When do I have to submit my absentee ballot application?
June 5.
How do I choose between a Republican, Democratic and ‘Non Partisan’ absentee ballot?
When you fill out your absentee ballot request form, you will be asked to choose between a Republican, Democratic or a “Non Partisan” ballot. This simply asks you to choose a primary in which to cast your vote.
All nonpartisan candidates will be on all of the ballots. For example, if you choose a Republican ballot, you will receive a ballot with all of the Republican primary candidates, questions concerning the Republican Party and the nonpartisan candidates.
Where is my county registration office?
Here is a list of the contact information for Middle Georgia county election offices.
Macon-Bibb
Address: Bibb County Election Supervisor Jeanetta Watson, 2525 Pio Nono Ave., Suite 1200, Macon, Georgia, 31206-2829
Phone: (478) 621-6622
Fax: (478) 621-6119
Email: jwatson@maconbibb.us
Houston
Address: Houston County Election Supervisor Debra Presswood, 801 Main Street, Room 237, P.O. Box 945, Perry, Georgia, 31069-0945
Phone: (478) 987-1973
Fax: (478) 988-0699
Email: elections@houstoncountyga.org
Peach
Address: Peach County Election Supervisor Adrienne Ray, 205 West Church St., Suite 102, Fort Valley, Georgia, 31030-0853
Phone: (478) 825-3514
Fax: (478) 825-2187
Email: adrienne-ray@peachcounty.net
Crawford
Address: Crawford County Election Supervisor Brenda Peacock, 640 Georgia Highway 128, P.O. Box 732, Roberta, Georgia, 31078-0739
Phone: (478) 836-1877
Fax: (478) 836-1879
Email: b.peacock@crawfordcountyga.org
Monroe
Mailing address: Monroe County Election Supervisor Kaye Warren, P. O . Box 1245, Forsyth, Georgia, 31029
Physical address: County Administration Building, 38 West Main St., Forsyth, Georgia
Phone: (478) 994-7622
Fax: (478) 994-7624
Email: kwarren@monroecoga.org
Jones
Mailing address: Jones County Election Supervisor Marion Hatton, P.O. Box 1417, Gray, Georgia, 31032-1417
Physical address: Government Center, 166 Industrial Blvd., #102, Gray, Georgia 31032
Phone: (478) 986-3222
Fax: (478) 986-9682
Email: marion.hatton@jonescountyga.org
Twiggs
Mailing address: Twiggs County Election Supervisor Debra Stephens, P.O. Box 130, Jeffersonville, Georgia 31044
Physical address: 425 North Railroad St., Jeffersonville, Georgia, 31044
Phone: (478) 945-3639
Fax: (478) 945-3477
Email: dstephens@twiggscounty.us
All election offices can be found at elections.sos.ga.gov/Elections/countyelectionoffices.do.
Do you have to be registered to vote to receive an absentee ballot?
Yes.
Where is the white, security envelope for my absentee ballot?
It’s not there. The vendor used by the Secretary of State’s office chose to use a “privacy sleeve” rather than the envelop to save time and money. The instructions for some ballots still reference the white envelop.
Voters are supposed to fold the “privacy sleeve,” which is a white sheet of paper, around their ballot and place the ballot with the sleeve in the large absentee ballot envelop.
How do I submit my absentee ballot?
People should submit their absentee ballot to their county election office.
The State Election Board adopted emergency rules April 22 to allow county election officials to install drop-off boxes for absentee ballots, according to a Capitol Beat report.
They also approved rules for securing the drop-off boxes, including how the boxes are installed and overseen by election officials to guard against tampering.
If a county chooses to install a drop-off box, they will be located at the election office or on other county property.
The Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections voted unanimously April 30 to purchase two drop-off boxes to install with the approval of the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners.
Will in-person voting still be an option?
Yes, both early voting and in-person voting will still be available.
What does it mean to be a registered voter in active status?
It is easier to explain how voters are moved to an “inactive status” and what that means.
A voter is moved to an “inactive status” when a person “fails to respond to a pre-addressed, postage paid confirmation card asking them to confirm or update their information,” according to the Secretary of State’s website.
People receive this card when they have filed a National Change of Address Card with the U.S. Postal Service, had election mail returned as undelivered or have not had any contact with election officials, including voting, for the past three years.
How do I maintain an active status?
To maintain an active status, people should update their voter registration every time they move as well as vote regularly.
It is also a good practice to check your voter registration status before the voter registration deadline for each election.
How can I look up my voter status?
People can check their voter registration status at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov. Simply fill in the information on the right side of the screen and click submit.
Your voter registration information will show up as well as other information, including your elected officials, where you vote and absentee ballot information.
What measures are being put into place to prevent absentee ballot fraud?
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has created an Absentee Ballot Fraud Task Force to assist the Secretary of State’s office in investigating allegations of absentee ballot fraud, according to a news release.
“The people of Georgia have the right to a secure, safe, and reliable vote,” said Raffensperger, in the release. “In times of crisis and change, scams and deceit multiply. The Absentee Ballot Fraud Task Force features some of the state’s premier law enforcement experts, who will assist our office as we investigate any allegations or instances of potential voter fraud. The integrity of the voting process is the bedrock of our democracy, and we will work tirelessly to ensure it is not violated.”
What causes an absentee ballot to be rejected?
County Board of Election offices determine the criteria for rejecting absentee ballots. The main reason absentee ballots are rejected by a county is because the signature on the ballot does not match the signature on file for that voter. County election offices use signatures to verify the identity of a person much like how poll workers verify a person’s identity at the polls with a photo identification card.
To make sure a ballot isn’t rejected, double check the information on the ballot to make sure it is correct.
If an absentee ballot is rejected, the board of registrars or absentee ballot clerk is required to attempt to contact the voter within three business days upon receiving the ballot to allow the voter a chance to fix the ballot, according to a ruling on April 15 by the State Election Board. If the ballot is rejected on or after the second Friday prior to the election, they are required to reach out to the voter by the end of the next business day.
How will provisional and absentee ballots be counted?
Provisional and absentee ballots will be counted with the same scanners used to count in-person voting ballots.
What measures are being taken to ensure the safety of voters and poll workers amid the coronavirus outbreak?
The Secretary of State’s office has distributed information on how to sanitize the touch screen voting machines, check-in poll pads and other equipment. They are also encouraging poll workers to wash their hands frequently.
During a Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections meeting on April 30, a Board of Elections official said although the Secretary of State’s office was not going to provide personal protective equipment for poll workers, it was going to offer grant money up to $5,000 for counties to purchase equipment.
How can I help with the election?
The Secretary of State’s office is looking for additional poll workers to help with the election. To become a poll worker, contact your local elections office and request an application or sign up at securevotega.com/pollworker-signup.
How do I register to vote in Georgia?
The deadline to register to vote for the June 9 election was May 11, but people can still register to vote for future elections.
Go to registertovote.sos.ga.gov and click “I want to register to vote!” Follow the instructions.
To register online, you must have a valid driver’s license or identification card issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services. You should receive acknowledgment of your registration two to four weeks after submitting your registration. If you do not, you need to contact your county election official.
If you do not have a valid driver’s license or want to register by mailing in your voter registration, download the form at sos.ga.gov/index.php/Elections/register_to_vote. Read all of the instructions on the form before filling it out and sending it to the Secretary of State’s office.
If you have an additional question about the upcoming election that wasn’t included in this article, please contact reporter Jenna Eason at jeason@macon.com.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM.