Absentee ballots, early voting could set record in Georgia this Midterm Election

ATLANTA - Georgians are already breaking early voter turnout records for this year's Midterm Election and are also on track to shatter the record for use of absentee ballots in a Midterm Election.

Voters have until Friday, October 28 to request an absentee ballot.

It is a choice that Interim Deputy Secretary of State Gabriel Sterling says more Georgians are opting for during this Midterm Election.

"In 2018, there was around 223,000 ballots that were voted all together," said Sterling. "And we're already at nearly 250,000 ballots requested. I know some people are trying to compare this to 2020, but that's a little apples to orange," stated Sterling. "One, it was a presidential election and two, we're not in the middle of the height of the COVID pandemic."

The latest numbers from the Georgia Secretary of State's Office shows of the 248,463 absentee ballots requested, 246,380 have been issued and 78,789 have been received and accepted. A tiny fraction, 545 statewide, have been rejected.

"In HB316, the law that we passed in 2019, this allowed for a cured period for the first time ever in Georgia for ballots that had issues with them," said Sterling. "What we're seeing generally now is that people haven't appropriately put their driver's license in, they didn't sign the envelope. You still have to sign because you're swearing that you are who you say you are."

"One piece of misinformation out there is that you have to have a photo copy of your ID. Your driver's license number is all you have to have. Over 98% of our voters have a driver's license number attached to their voter registration, so that's how we know you are who you say you are," added Sterling.

If there is a problem, Sterling says it's not a difficult process and you have until 7 p.m. on Election Day.

"The county has to contact you within three business days," said Sterling. "So all over the state right now, those 545 people have been contacted and told hey, you need to come in and fix your ballot."

Remember, ballots received after the polls close on Election Day cannot be counted.