Notice to Military and Overseas Voters in Congressional Districts 2, 9, and 12 for the August 21, 2012 Runoff Election for Federal Office

As a military or overseas civilian voter, this Notice serves to provide you with important voting information concerning the August 21, 2012 primary runoff election for federal office in your county. This Notice applies only to the August 21, 2012 primary runoff election for federal office.

NOTE: If you are registered in a different congressional district, please proceed to our general UOCAVA information page.  To determine which congressional district you are registered in, sign in to the Georgia Secretary of State My Voter Page (MVP) site at mvp.sos.state.ga.us. Under "Your Qualified Candidates," look for the district number shown for U.S. Congress.

The General Primary Election was held on July 31, 2012. The Secretary of State has posted the results of the July 31, 2012 primary election on the Election Division’s website at the following link: sos.georgia.gov/elections/election_results/2012_0731.

To ensure that you have timely access to all information and documents needed in order to cast your ballot, you may request and receive by email, fax, or download from this website:

OR

  • An official UOCAVA absentee ballot for the runoff election. Once your absentee ballot request is received and accepted by your county, you can access your official absentee ballot by signing into the MVP (My Voter Page) site at mvp.sos.state.ga.us.


The Deadline to receive your ballot has been extended

For the August 21, 2012 runoff election for federal office held by counties within United States Congressional Districts 2, 9, and 12, the time for receiving and counting ballots cast by UOCAVA voters has been extended until August 31, 2012. Please note that while the date in which the runoff ballots are to be received by the counties has been extended, your absentee ballot and oath must be completed and executed and sent no later than 7:00 p.m. EDT on August 21, 2012 for the ballot to be counted, if otherwise valid.

Ballots can be sent by email/download, fax or express mail

As your county is within Congressional District 2, 9 or 12, you have the option of receiving a state write-in absentee ballot (SWAB) along with the runoff candidate information or your UOCAVA ballot by email/download, fax or express mail.

You have to apply for an absentee ballot

If you have already applied for a ballot for the primary election, your county elections office will use your preferred method of receiving your UOCAVA ballot for the runoff.  However, if you would like to change your preferred method of delivery, please contact your county election official.  Find this information at http://sos.ga.gov/elections/CountyContacts/UOCAVAContactDisplay.aspx.

If you need to apply for a ballot, information is located on our website at: http://www.sos.ga.gov/Elections/Uocava/.  It is important to clearly state your preferred method of receiving your UOCAVA ballot on your absentee ballot application: by email/download, fax or express mail.

Voted Run-off Ballots can be returned by email, fax, express mail at no cost to the voter

Additionally, to facilitate the timely return of absentee ballots, UOCAVA voters in United States Congressional Districts 2, 9, and 12 who are eligible to vote in the August 21, 2012 primary runoff elections, have the option of returning their ballot by email, fax or express delivery service at no cost to the voter. Instructions for returning your ballot free of charge by your selected method of return will be included with your absentee ballot.

If you should have questions concerning the information contained in this Notice, please feel free to contact the Secretary of State, Elections Division either by calling (404) 656-2871 or via email here. You may also contact your county election officials, whose contact information can be located at http://sos.ga.gov/elections/CountyContacts/UOCAVAContactDisplay.aspx

UOCAVA ballot return Procedures for the August 21, 2012 Primary Runoff Election

You may return your completed ballot via regular mail, fax, email, or express delivery service. Please note that all UOCAVA ballots must be executed and sent by 7:00 p.m. EDT on August 21, 2012 in order to be counted, if otherwise valid.

How to return your ballot via regular mail:

If you would like to return your UOCAVA ballot by regular mail, please mail the voter oath and UOCAVA ballot to your county election officials in accordance with the requirements of the local postal carrier of your area.

How to return your ballot via fax:

If you would like to return your UOCAVA ballot by fax, please do the following:

  • Complete your fax coversheet,, voter oath and UOCAVA ballot. Failure to complete and sign the oath will cause your ballot to be rejected.
  • If you are a military voter located in the United States, fax your coversheet, completed voter oath and UOCAVA ballot to one of the toll-free numbers provided with your absentee ballot.
  • If you are a military or civilian overseas voter, fax your completed voter oath and UOCAVA ballot to one of the International toll-free numbers which will be provided to you with your absentee ballot.


How to return your ballot by email:

If you would like to return your UOCAVA ballot by email, please do the following:

  • Complete your voter oath and UOCAVA ballot. You may also complete the fax coversheet. Failure to complete and sign the oath will cause your ballot to be rejected.
  • Scan the completed fax coversheet, if applicable, along with the voter oath and UOCAVA ballot.
  • Attach the scanned images to an email addressed to ballot@sos.ga.gov. Please include your county of residence in the subject line of your email.


How to return your ballot by express delivery service:

If you have requested to receive your absentee ballot by fax or email/download, express delivery account numbers for FedEx and UPS will be included in the materials provided with your UOCAVA ballot for return service at no cost.

If you have requested to receive your ballot by mail, in addition to the FedEx and UPS express delivery account numbers provided with your ballot instructions, you will also receive express mail return from USPS at no cost when you use the return envelope which is marked “Official Election Mail.”

Important Notice Concerning Ballot Counting Procedures

In the event that both the UOCAVA ballot and the state write-in ballot for the runoff election are received by the county registrars no later than August 31, 2012, the Georgia Code provides that the regular absentee ballot shall be counted and the state write-in ballot shall be kept unopened in the same manner as absentee ballots that are returned too late to be counted. (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-381.2 (f)).

In all other instances where two or more UOCAVA ballots are received, the first official ballot received shall be counted and any official ballots received thereafter shall be kept unopened in the same manner as absentee ballots that are returned too late to be counted.

General UOCAVA information from the Secretary of State's Website

If UOCAVA voters have any questions or need assistance, they may contact the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office at (404) 656-2871.