Absentee Ballots
The information provided here applies to a majority of Georgia voters. If you have special circumstances or if you want to confirm your voting plan works, you can always call or text the Voter Protection Hotline at 888-730-5816 to get support!
How to Vote by Mail in Georgia
Any eligible, registered voter may vote by mail in Georgia. You’ll need to submit an absentee ballot application for the November 4th General Election, even if you applied for an absentee ballot earlier this year and opted to receive rollover ballots.
If you need to vote by absentee ballot, it’s important to apply for and return your ballot as soon as possible! Absentee ballot applications must be submitted by Friday, October 24th, and your ballot must be received back by your county by 7:00pm on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4th.
To vote by mail, follow the steps below!
How to Apply for an Absentee Ballot
- Obtain an application by either printing one, contacting your County Elections Office, or getting an application at a public library or government office.
- Fully complete and sign the application and mail it to your County Elections Office. Don’t forget postage! Click here to find your county elections office.
- Some counties accept applications by email – even if you plan to submit electronically, you still need to sign your application physically, then take a picture or scan it to submit.
- Check MVP in a few days to make sure the submission worked and track your ballot. To do so, follow the tutorial below or call the Voter Protection Hotline at 888-730-5816.
How to Return Your Absentee Ballot (and Who Can Return It)
Once you receive your absentee ballot, complete and return it as soon as possible! You can return it one of three ways:
- Return to a ballot dropbox: You can bring your ballot to a dropbox in your county during Early Vote. Check IWillVote.com/GA or contact your county Elections Office to find your nearest drop box locations. You must return your ballot to a dropbox in the county in which you are registered.
- Drop off in person: You can bring your ballot directly to your County Elections Office by 7:00pm on Election Day. After Early Vote ends, you must return your absentee ballot to your elections office – dropboxes are no longer available, you cannot return your ballot to a polling place on Election Day, and it’s too late to mail it and have it arrive.
- By mail: If you or a legally authorized representative (see the list below) are unable to drop your ballot off in person, you can mail your ballot back to your county Elections Office. If you plan to mail your ballot, complete and return it with postage as soon as possible! All absentee ballots must be RECEIVED by your Elections Office by 7:00pm on Election Day.
Who can return your absentee ballot? If you’re personally unable to access a dropbox, return the ballot in person, or mail it, it can be returned for you by any of the following:
- Someone who lives in the same residence as you
- A close family member (including mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law)
- A caregiver if you have a physical disability
Need help with the absentee ballot process? Call or text the Voter Protection Hotline at 888-730-5816 for suggestions to fit your personal circumstances.
Track Your Absentee Ballot Using MVP
Did you know you can use Georgia’s MVP website to track your absentee ballot status?
After you log into MVP, visit the Absentee Ballot Portal to enroll in notifications about your application or ballot status. In the Absentee Ballot History, you can track the date your application was received, when your ballot was issued, and when it was received back by the county.
Use the interactive demo below to see what this looks like directly in MVP.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I opt in to receive rollover ballots?
If you’re over 65 years old, have a physical disability, are a uniformed service member or dependent, or are temporarily residing overseas, you can opt-in to automatically receive absentee ballots for the federal election cycle. The first time you submit an absentee ballot application each cycle, check the box and fully complete the information in Section 12 of the application.
Note: Georgia law only provides for rollover ballots in federal election cycles. For statewide, municipal, or special election cycles (such as in 2025), a separate application must be submitted for each election, including primaries.
If a voter has a physical disability or is unable to read English, can they receive assistance to apply for or complete their ballot?
Yes, voters who are physically disabled or unable to read English may receive assistance to complete and return an application or their ballot. If the voter received assistance, the assistant must sign the relevant portion of the application or the back of the ballot return envelope. If the voter cannot sign their materials due to physical disability, the voter should make a mark in the signature field.
Voters who are physically disabled or unable to read English can be assisted in filling out their application or ballot by anyone except for the following categories of people: an employer, a labor union official, a candidate on the ballot, or the family member of a candidate on the ballot.
If a voter has a physical disability, can they receive assistance returning their ballot?
Can I still vote in-person if I applied for an absentee ballot?
Yes, you can. So long as the elections office has not received and accepted your absentee ballot, you can choose to vote in person.
If you have your absentee ballot in your possession, take it with you to the polls and give it to the poll worker. The poll worker will dispose of your old ballot and let you vote at the polling place.
If you do not have your absentee ballot in your possession (for example, you have not received it yet, or you’ve misplaced it), that’s okay too – simply tell the poll worker you applied for one, but that you’d like to vote in person instead. The poll worker will ask you to sign a form where you swear you haven’t voted, and then you’ll be permitted to vote in-person.