The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office is dedicated to making elections accessible to everyone, regardless of disability. This site has been constructed to help ensure that information technology is accessible to people with disabilities, including access via screen reader.
Some of the links below are in Adobe .pdf format. Click below to download the latest Adobe Reader:
Click here to download Adobe Reader
Audio Guide for Voters with Disabilities
- Click here for a windows media format audio file for audio guide for voters with disabilities.
- Click here for a mp3 format audio file for audio guide for voters with disabilies.
Registering to Vote
To register to vote, you must first fill out a voter registration application. The deadline to register to vote in an election in Georgia is the fifth Monday prior to the election. Voters with disabilities can receive assistance when completing the voter registration application. The person providing assistance must sign the oath contained on the voter registration application.
There are several ways for Georgians to register to vote:
- Print and complete a voter registration application from the Secretary of State’s website.
- Contact your county board of registrars or election office, public library, public assistance office, recruitment office, school, and other participating government offices for a voter registration application.
- Utilize "Motor Voter" registration that is offered when renewing or applying for a driver's license or identification card at the Department of Driver Services.
If you are uncertain of your registration status, you can confirm your registration status through the Poll Locator tool, or you can contact your county voter registration office. You may also contact the Secretary of State’s office at 404-656-2871 or (V/TTY) 656-1787 for additional assistance.
Voting at the Polling Place
- Georgia law requires all polling places to be fully accessible and equipped with poll workers who are trained to accommodate all voters.
- On Election Day, polling places in Georgia are open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
- If you are 75 years of age or older or have a disability and you arrive at the polling place between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., you will not be required to wait in line. However, you will need to tell a poll worker if you want to move to the front of the line.
- Remember, photo ID is required to vote in person.
- For information on the accessibility of your polling place, please contact your county elections office at: http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/countyelectionofficesindex.asp
In-Person Voting Assistance
A voter who is unable to sign his or her name, unable to see or mark the ballot or operate the voting equipment, or enter the voting booth without assistance can receive assistance voting.
The individual assisting a voter with a disability must record his or her name on the disabled elector’s voter certificate. In federal elections, a voter with a disability can receive assistance from any individual except his or her employer, representative of his or her employer, or a representative of his or her union. In all other elections, a voter with a disability can receive assistance from any voter (except a poll worker or poll watcher) who is a resident of the precinct in which the voter requiring assistance is attempting to vote or from his or her mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, sister, brother, spouse, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or attendant care provider.
In-Person Voting Assistive Voting Devices
- Voters with disabilities can use an assistive touch screen voting unit designed to allow independent and private voting.
- Assistive voting units provide several different ways for voters to cast a ballot.
- An audio ballot is available for voters who are visually impaired or blind. With the audio ballot, voters are given headphones and a number keypad. A voter hears candidates’ names and ballot questions through the headphones, and then responds to prompts by touching the keypad, similar to an automated phone service.
- A magnifying feature is available on every touch screen voting unit that allows the voter to magnify the print on the ballot.
- Every polling place in Georgia is equipped with at least one touch screen voting unit that will allow a voter to vote while sitting in a chair or wheelchair.
- Additionally, every polling place in Georgia is required to maintain a magnifying glass for use by visually impaired voters.
Seated Voting
Every polling place in Georgia is equipped with at least one touch screen voting unit that will allow a voter to cast his or her ballot while sitting in a chair or wheelchair.
Vote by Mail Before Election Day
- Any eligible voter can cast a mail-in absentee ballot. No excuse is needed.
- Simply fill out the absentee ballot application to request an official mail-in absentee ballot. Then, mail or return the application to your county registrar’s office. We urge you to request your mail-in absentee ballot and return it to your county registrar’s office as soon as possible. Mail-in absentee ballots must be received by your county registrar no later than close of the polls on Election Day.
- A voter who has a disability or cannot read and write may receive help when filling out the mail-in absentee ballot application and ballot.
- The person assisting the voter must sign an oath that is either printed on the mail-in absentee ballot envelope or on the application for absentee ballot, whichever is applicable.
- According to Georgia law, any person who knowingly falsifies information in order to vote illegally by absentee ballot, or who illegally gives or receives assistance in voting will be guilty of a felony.
Early Voting
- Georgia law provides voters the opportunity to vote in person before Election Day without providing a reason.
- Early Voting is easy and convenient.
- Contact your county voter registration office for early voting site locations and hours. Some counties have multiple early and advance voting sites.
Photo ID Requirements
A photo ID is required to vote in person in all Georgia elections. Acceptable forms of identification include:
- A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired.
- Any valid state or federal issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar’s office or by the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS).
- Valid U.S. passport.
- 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 this state.
- Valid U.S. military photo ID.
- Valid tribal photo ID.
If you have any further questions please contact the Secretary of State’s office at 404-656-2871, (V/TTY) 656-1787, or by email at kgkalisa@sos.georgia.gov
© 2009 Georgia Secretary of State