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Hi everyone! My name is Kennedy Baker, and I am a third-year Political science student with a minor in Law, Jurisprudence, and the State and a minor in Law, Ethics, and Philosophy on the Pre-law track. As a political science student, these past few months have been very exciting since it is a presidential election year! Voting is a core aspect of our democracy. Since my family and I moved from Ohio to Georgia in the summer of 2022, Georgia’s Fall 2022 Senate run-offs were my first time voting in Georgia. During that time, I enjoyed learning about Georgia’s electoral system, however as a political science student I know it’s not always easy navigating elections and voting. I hope this guide can help!

Step 1: Make sure you’re eligible to vote in Georgia. You must:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be a legal resident of the county
• Be at least 17 1/2 years of age to register and 18 years of age to vote
• Not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude
• Have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge
• You can check your voter registration status and find voter ID requirements on the Secretary of State’s My Voter Page: 

Step 2: Register to Vote

• (Deadline 10/7/2024)

Step 3: Check your precinct Card

• What is a precinct card: A record indicating your current registration information and status.

Step 4: Find your designated Polling station

• What are Polling stations: Designated locations for voters to cast their ballots on election day.
  • If you vote on Election Day (11/5/2024), you need to vote at your designated polling station.

Step 5: Create a voting Plan

• Absentee ballots:
  • What is an absentee ballot: A physical paper ballot completed and typically mailed in advance of an election by a voter who is unable to be present at the polls.
    • These are great options for out-of-state students!
  • Deadlines
    • Request Absentee ballots:  10/25/2024
    • Return ballot by mail (received by): 11/5/2024 close of polls
    • Return ballot in person (received by): 11/5/2024 close of polls
  • Early voting
    • What is early voting: A voting process where voters can vote prior to election day.
    • Early voting dates:
      • 10/15/2024 through 11/1/2024
    • Early voting stations
      • Early voters do not have to vote at an assigned polling location.
      • During early voting, you may vote at any early voting location within your county. Find available early voting locations by visiting the secretary of state’s website ()  and selecting your county of residence from the list.
    • Election day in-person voting:
      • Election day: 11/5/2024
      • You must vote at your designated polling station on Election Day.

Step 6: Research the candidates

• Use diverse media outlets to learn about the candidates and their policies before voting.

For more information, make sure to check out . Happy voting!