The campaign ads seem to be on an endless loop on TV and radio and everyone over 18 has received political messages via social media. Now we’re nearing the home stretch of the 2022 General Election.
There are some changes in the way things have been done over the years, so Peachtree Corners Magazine has compiled information from state and local sites to help local voters unravel some of the confusion.
Still, it’s up to you to actually cast your ballot to elect our next legislative leadership.
The deadline to register to vote was Oct. 11. If you haven’t registered by now, you’ll need to sit this one out.
Absentee voting
Absentee voting dates are Oct. 17 to Nov. 4. If you haven’t signed up to vote that way, there is still time – but not much. The Georgia absentee voting by mail request deadline is Oct 28.
Georgia allows absentee voting by mail and in person. No excuse is required to vote before Election Day. You must request an absentee ballot in order to receive one in the mail. Your County Registrar’s Office must receive your ballot before the polls close on Election Day to be counted.
Voters should complete an absentee ballot application and return it to their county registration office. Absentee ballot applications can be returned by mail, fax, email (as an attachment) or in person to the local county board of registrar’s office.
To vote via absentee ballot, you must first be registered to vote. You will also need some form of voter identification, such as a government-issued driver’s license or voter identification card.
You must submit your application for an absentee ballot by the deadline. Absentee ballots may be requested any time between 78 and 11 calendar days prior to Election Day. It’s important to request and return your absentee ballot early. This will give your ballot enough time to travel through the mail and resolve any issues that may arise when voting by absentee ballot.
View a list of upcoming elections and registration deadlines on the Secretary of State’s election calendar.
If you are voting in a primary election, you will need to request either a Democrat, Republican or Non-Partisan ballot. You do not need to request a specific type of ballot for a general election.
Information: https://georgia.gov/vote-absentee-ballot
Early in-person voting
Early in-person absentee voting is available in Georgia. Dates and hours vary by county. Early in-person voting has begun in Gwinnett County. No matter what city or neighborhood you live in within the county, you don’t have to vote in a particular precinct.
Residents can vote at any of the early voting locations. Before you head out, you can check the wait times online.
- Gwinnett County Board of Voter Registrations and Elections Beauty P. Baldwin Building, 455 Grayson Hwy., Ste. 200, Lawrenceville
- Bogan Park Community Recreation Center, 2723 N. Bogan Rd., Buford
- Dacula Park Activity Building, 2735 Old Auburn Ave., Dacula
- Gas South – Hudgens Center for Arts, 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy., Bldg. 300, Duluth
- George Pierce Park Community Recreation Center, 55 Buford Hwy., Suwanee
- Lenora Park Gym, 4515 Lenora Church Rd., Snellville
- Lucky Shoals Park Community Recreation Center, 4651 Britt Rd., Norcross
- Mountain Park Activity Building, 1063 Rockbridge Rd., Stone Mountain
- Pinckneyville Park Community Recreation Center, 4650 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Berkeley Lake
- Rhodes Jordan Park Community Recreation Center, 100 E. Crogan St., Lawrenceville
- Shorty Howell Park Activity Building, 2750 Pleasant Hill Rd., Duluth
General election
Polling hours on Election Day (Nov. 8) are 7 a.m.-7 p.m., except in cities with a population of 300,000 or more. Those polling places remain open until 8 p.m. for municipal general elections.
Information: https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/
To check on your voting and/or ballot status, you can use the state’s Municipal Voter Portal.
Use the MVP Portal to check your:
- Voter registration status,
- Mail-in application and ballot status,
- Poll location,
- Early voting locations,
- Elected officials,
- Registration information on file with the county office,
- Sample ballot for the upcoming election,
- Provisional ballot status, and
- Access to the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ballots.
