Title 21 — Elections
5 chapters · 451 sections in this title.
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-405 Poll officers; arrival at precinct; failure to appear; custodians of voting materials
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(a) The chief manager and two assistant managers shall meet in the respective places appointed for holding the primary or election in each precinct at least one hour before the hour for opening the polls on the day of each primary or election. The other required poll officers sha…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-406 Public performance of duties by officials
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Superintendents, poll officers, and other officials engaged in the conducting of primaries and elections held under this chapter shall perform their duties in public.
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-407 Duty of registrars to review qualifications of electors who may have been erroneously omitted from list of electors; authority to place such electors on the list
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The registrars shall meet at their main office during each primary or election for the purpose of considering the qualification of electors whose names may have been omitted by inadvertence or mistake from the list of electors. The registrars shall be authorized to place the name…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-408 Poll watchers; designation; duties; removal for interference with election; reports of infractions or irregularities; ineligibility of candidates to serve; training
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(a) (1) In a primary or run-off primary, each candidate entitled to have his or her name placed on the primary or run-off primary ballot may submit the name of one poll watcher for each precinct in which he or she wishes to have an observer to the chairperson or secretary of the …
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-409 Assisting electors who cannot read English or who have disabilities
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(a) No elector shall receive any assistance in voting at any primary or election unless he or she is unable to read the English language or he or she has a disability which renders him or her unable to see or mark the ballot or operate the voting equipment or to enter the voting …
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-409.1 Voting by electors who are 75 years of age or older or disabled electors without having to wait in line
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On election day between the hours of 9:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., each elector who is 75 years of age or older or who is disabled and requires assistance in voting as authorized by Code Section 21-2-409, shall, upon request to a poll officer, be authorized at any primary or election …
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-410 Poll officers authorized to give instructions to electors upon request
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If any elector, before or after entering the voting booth, shall ask for instructions concerning the manner of voting, a poll officer may give such elector such instructions; but no person giving an elector such instructions shall in any manner request, suggest, or seek to persua…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-411 Return of checked list of electors and voter’s certificates to superintendent; disposition of list and certificates by registrars
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The chief manager in each precinct shall return a checked list of electors, reflecting those who voted, and the voter’s certificates to the superintendent, to be deposited with the registrars. The board of registrars shall keep such voter’s certificates for at least 24 months and…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-412 Duties of superior courts on days of primaries and elections
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At least one judge of the superior court of each judicial circuit shall be available in his or her circuit on the day of each primary or election from 7:00 A.M. eastern standard time or eastern daylight time, whichever is applicable, until 10:00 P.M. eastern standard time or east…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-413 Conduct of voters, campaigners, and others at polling places generally
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(a) No elector shall be allowed to occupy a voting compartment or voting machine booth already occupied by another except when giving assistance as permitted by this chapter. (b) No elector shall remain in a voting compartment or voting machine booth an unreasonable length of tim…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-414 Restrictions on campaign activities, giving of food or water, and public opinion polling within the vicinity of a polling place; cellular phone use prohibited; prohibition of candidates from entering certain polling places
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(a) No person shall solicit votes in any manner or by any means or method, nor shall any person distribute or display any campaign material, nor shall any person give, offer to give, or participate in the giving of any money or gifts, including, but not limited to, food and drink…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-415 [Reserved] Requirements as to identification of campaign literature; unauthorized use of another’s name in connection with campaign material; penalty
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O.C.G.A. § 21-2-415Current through Act 375 of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly but not including corrections and changes made by the Office of Legislative Counsel.HistoryGa. L. 1968, p. 828, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1039, § 2; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1328, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-416 [Reserved] Methods of casting ballots in elections utilizing paper ballots or vote recorders
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O.C.G.A. § 21-2-416Current through Act 375 of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly but not including corrections and changes made by the Office of Legislative Counsel.HistoryGa. L. 1968, p. 850, § 1; Code 1933, § 34-1314.2, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1969, § 37; repeal…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-417 Presentation of proper identification to poll workers; swearing of statement when unable to produce; use of provisional ballots; penalty for false swearing
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(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, each elector shall present proper identification to a poll worker at or prior to completion of a voter’s certificate at any polling place and prior to such person’s admission to the enclosed space at such polling plac…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-417.1 Voter identification card
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(a) Each county board of registrars shall provide at least one place in the county at which it shall accept applications for and issue Georgia voter identification cards to registered Georgia electors which shall under state law be valid only for purposes of voter identification …
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-418 Provisional ballots
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(a) If a person presents himself or herself at a polling place, absentee polling place, or registration office in his or her county of residence in this state for the purpose of casting a ballot in a primary or election stating a good faith belief that he or she has timely regist…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-419 Validation of provisional ballots; reporting to Secretary of State
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(a) A person shall cast a provisional ballot on the same type of ballot that is utilized by the county or municipality. Such provisional ballot shall be sealed in double envelopes as provided in Code Section 21-2-384 and shall be deposited by the person casting such ballot in a s…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-420 Procedure for counting and tabulation of ballots
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(a) After the time for the closing of the polls and the last elector voting, the poll officials in each precinct shall complete the required accounting and related documentation for the precinct and shall advise the election superintendent of the total number of ballots cast at s…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-421 Posting of required information after closing of polls; reporting to Secretary of State
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(a) As soon as possible but not later than 11:59 P.M. following the close of the polls on the day of a primary, election, or runoff, the election superintendent shall report to the Secretary of State and post in a prominent public place the following information:(1) The number of…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-430 Opening of ballot boxes; destruction of irrelevant materials; locking of ballot box; public breaking of seals; instruction cards and notices of penalties
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In precincts in which ballots are used, the poll officers shall, after taking the oath, publicly open the ballot boxes which have been furnished to them and shall, prior to opening of the polls, totally destroy any ballots and other papers which they may find therein which are no…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-431 Execution of voter’s certificate; procedure upon qualification of elector; elector unable to sign name; voting outside precinct of residence; registration as prerequisite to voting
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(a) At every primary and election, each elector who desires to vote shall first execute a voter’s certificate and hand the same to the poll officer in charge of the electors list. When an elector has been found entitled to vote, the poll officer who examined his or her voter’s ce…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-432 Voter's certificate binder as official list of electors; preservation and disposition of refused applications
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After each elector has been admitted to vote, his or her voter’s certificate shall be inserted in the binder provided therefor by the registrars, and known as the “voter’s certificate binder,” and such voter’s certificates so bound shall constitute the official list of electors v…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-433 Admission of electors to enclosed space; detachment of ballots from stubs and distribution of ballots to electors; return of canceled ballots to superintendent
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(a) No elector shall enter the enclosed space behind the guardrail provided for in subsection (a) of Code Section 21-2-267 until he or she is found entitled to vote. (b) As soon as an elector has been admitted within the enclosed space, the poll officer having charge of the ballo…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-434 Restrictions as to removal of ballots from book or polling place; deposit of official ballots in box; disposition of unofficial ballots
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No official ballot shall be taken or detached from its stub in any book of ballots, except by a poll officer when a person desiring to vote has been found to be an elector entitled to vote. Not more than one ballot shall be removed at any one time or given to an elector, except i…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-435 Procedure as to marking and depositing of ballots
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(a) In precincts in which ballots are used, the elector, after receiving his or her ballot, shall retire to one of the voting compartments and draw the curtain or shut the screen or door and shall then prepare his or her ballot; provided, however, that an elector may, before ente…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-436 Duties of poll officers after the close of the polls
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After the polls are closed and the last elector has voted in precincts in which ballots are used, at least two poll officers shall remain within the enclosed space. Before the ballot box is opened, the number of ballots issued to electors, as shown by the stubs, and the number of…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-437 Procedure as to count and return of votes generally; void ballots
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(a) After the polls close and as soon as all the ballots have been properly accounted for and those outside the ballot box as well as the voter’s certificates, numbered list of voters, and electors list have been sealed, the poll officers shall open the ballot box and take theref…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-438 Ballots identifying voter, not marked, or improperly marked declared void
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(a) Any ballot marked so as to identify the voter shall be void and not counted, except a ballot cast by a challenged elector whose name appears on the electors list; such challenged vote shall be counted as prima facie valid but may be voided in the event of an election contest.…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-439 Decisions concerning questionable marks or defaced or mutilated ballots
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Decisions concerning questionable marks on ballots or defacing or mutilation of ballots and the count to be recorded thereon shall be made by the assistant managers; and, if they disagree, the chief manager shall make the decision.
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-440 Duty of poll officers to sign general returns; posting of copy of returns; delivery of copy of materials to superintendent
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(a) Immediately after the vote has been counted in precincts in which paper ballots are used, all of the general returns shall be signed by the poll officers. If any poll officer shall refuse to sign or certify the general returns, he or she shall write his or her reasons therefo…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-450 Opening of polls; procedure when ballot labels misplaced; certification by managers; machines to be locked until polls open; officers to be near machines; inspection of machines; broken machines
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(a) (1) In the precincts in which voting machines are used, the seals of the package furnished by the superintendent shall be publicly broken at the opening of the polls and such package shall be opened by the chief manager. One card of instructions, one notice of penalties, one …
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-451 Execution of voter’s certificate; procedure upon qualification of elector; elector unable to sign name; voting outside of precinct of residence; registration prerequisite to voting
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(a) At every primary and election, each elector who desires to vote shall first execute a voter’s certificate and hand the same to the poll officer in charge of the electors list. When an elector has been found entitled to vote, the poll officer who examined his or her voter’s ce…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-452 Admission of electors to enclosed space; voting procedure generally; procedure as to write-in votes; voting by electors whose right to vote is challenged; disabled voters
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(a) No elector shall enter the enclosed space behind the guardrail provided for in subsection (a) of Code Section 21-2-267 until he or she is found entitled to vote, after which he or she shall be admitted to the voting machine booth as soon as it is vacant and shall be permitted…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-453 Voter’s certificate binder as constituting official list; separate preservation and return of refused applications
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After each elector has been admitted to vote, his or her voter’s certificate shall be inserted in the binder provided therefor and known as the “voter’s certificate binder.” Such voter’s certificates so bound shall constitute the official list of electors voting at such primary o…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-454 Duties of poll officers after the close of the polls
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(a) As soon as the polls are closed and the last elector has voted, the poll officers shall immediately lock and seal the operating lever or mechanism of the machine so that the voting and counting mechanism will be prevented from operation, and they shall then sign a certificate…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-455 Canvass and return of votes
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(a) If the type of voting machine provided shall require the counters to be seen in order to enable the poll officers to canvass the vote, the poll officers, in the presence of all persons within the polling place, shall then make visible the registering counters and, for that pu…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-456 Form of general return sheet, duplicate return sheets, and statement; posting of vote results; delivery of documents to superintendent; seal and return of electors list upon completion of vote count and tabulation
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(a) The general return sheets, duplicate return sheets, and statement shall be printed to conform with the type of voting machine used and in form approved by the Secretary of State. The designating number and letter, if any, on the counter for each candidate shall be printed the…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-457 Removal, storage, and examination of voting machines after completion of vote count
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As soon as possible after the completion of the count in precincts in which voting machines are used, the superintendent shall have the voting machines removed to the place of storage provided for in this chapter. The voting machines shall remain locked against voting for the per…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-480 Caption for ballots; party designations; form and arrangement
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(a) At the top of each ballot for an election in a precinct using optical scanning voting equipment shall be printed in prominent type the words “OFFICIAL BALLOT,” followed by the name and designation of the precinct for which it is prepared and the name and date of the election.…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-481 Design, size, and stock of ballots
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Ballots in a precinct using optical scanning voting equipment shall be of suitable design, size, and stock to permit processing by a tabulating machine and shall be printed in black ink on white or colored material. A serially numbered strip shall be attached to each ballot to be…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-482 Absentee ballots for precincts using optical scanning voting equipment
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Ballots in a precinct using optical scanning voting equipment for voting by absentee electors shall be prepared sufficiently in advance by the superintendent and shall be delivered to the board of registrars as provided in Code Section 21-2-384. Such ballots shall be marked “Offi…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-483 Counting of ballots; public accessibility to tabulating center and precincts; execution of ballot recap forms; procedure for torn, bent, or otherwise defective ballots; preparation of duplicate ballots
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(a) In primaries and elections in which optical scanners are used, the ballots shall be counted at the precinct or tabulating center under the direction of the superintendent. All persons who perform any duties at the tabulating center shall be deputized by the superintendent, an…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-484 Requirements for ballot recap form; delivery
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(1) Upon completion of voting, the manager shall prepare and sign a ballot recap form, in sufficient counterparts, showing:(1) The number of valid ballots, including any that are damaged;(2) The number of spoiled and invalid ballots; and(3) The number of unused ballots.The manage…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-485 Responsibilities of poll officers
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(1) As soon as the polls are closed and the last elector has voted in precincts in which optical scanners are used, the poll officers shall:(1) For central count optical scan ballots:(A) Seal the ballot box and deliver the ballot box to the tabulating center, as designated by the…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-486 Votes for write-in candidates
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The superintendent, in computing the votes cast at any election, shall compute and certify only those write-in votes properly cast for candidates who have given proper notice of intent to be write-in candidates pursuant to Code Section 21-2-133 exactly as such names were written …
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-490 Hours of operation of office of superintendent and chairperson of county board of registrars on primary and election days; applicability to counties having population of 550,000 or more
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(a) Each superintendent shall cause his or her office to remain open during the entire duration of each primary and election and after the close of the polls, until all the ballot boxes and returns have been received in the office of the superintendent or received in such other p…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-491 Public inspection of unsealed returns at office of superintendent; opening of sealed envelopes upon order of superintendent or court
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The general returns from the various precincts which have been returned unsealed shall be open to public inspection at the office of the superintendent as soon as they are received from the chief managers. None of the envelopes sealed by poll officers and entrusted to the chief m…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-492 Computation and canvassing of returns; notice of place where returns will be computed and canvassed; blank forms for making statements of returns; swearing of assistants
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The superintendent shall arrange for the computation and canvassing of the returns of votes cast at each primary and election at his or her office or at some other convenient public place at the county seat or municipality following the close of the polls on the day of such prima…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-493 Computation, canvassing, and tabulation of returns; investigation of discrepancies in vote counts; recount procedure; posting of digital images of scanned paper ballots; certification of returns; change in returns
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(a) The superintendent shall, after the close of the polls on the day of a primary or election, at his or her office or at some other convenient public place at the county seat or in the municipality, of which due notice shall have been given as provided by Code Section 21-2-492,…
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-494 Computation and certification of write-in votes
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The superintendent, in computing the votes cast at any election, shall compute and certify only those write-in votes cast for candidates who have given proper notice of intent to be write-in candidates pursuant to Code Section 21-2-133 exactly as such names were written by the el…