Election Day is less than five weeks away, so voters should start planning for how they will cast their ballots. This November 2020 Election will offer voters more opportunities than ever to cast ballots, whether by mailing or dropping off an Absentee Ballot, voting in person during the three-week Early Voting period at one of six different locations, or voting in person at polling places on Election Day.
Important information on the registration deadline and Early Voting locations is located below. For those planning to vote via Absentee Ballot, the Board of Registrars strongly encourages voters to submit a ballot request form early, in order to ensure timely issuance of the ballot and timely return of the ballot to our office.
Registration Deadline:
The last day to register to vote for the General Election is Monday, October 5, 2020. Registration can be done accomplished through several methods:
(1) Mail: Board of Registrars, PO Box 13757, Savannah, GA 31416 (must be postmarked by October 5, 2020);
(2) In person: Board of Registrars’ main office at 1117 Eisenhower Drive (must be received by October 5, 2020);
(3) Online: visit registertovote.sos.ga.gov (registration must be completed by October 5, 2020)
Absentee Ballots:
The absentee ballot process has been the subject of a great deal of scrutiny and debate recently. Much of the concern about the security of the absentee ballot process is the product of misinformation, however, as the absentee ballot process is one that has been in place for decades with a demonstrated track record of security. National intelligence representatives have confirmed recently that the absentee ballot process has not been the subject of coordinated attempts at fraud or tampering, and no current intelligence exists about any such coordinated efforts. The Board of Registrars can assure the voting public of Chatham County that every protection mandated by state and federal law is met and indeed exceeded when it comes to the processing of absentee ballots.
Absentee ballots are now available for the November 3th General Election, and can be requested up until Friday, October 30, 2020. Given the often unpredictable time schedule of US Postal Service delivery, however, we strongly encourage voters to consider other methods of requesting an absentee ballot in order to speed up the process. Here are the easy steps to follow in order to vote absentee:
STEP #1 – Request a ballot
The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has rolled out a website for voters to request ballots via an online portal. That website – which works best when accessed via a browser other than Chrome – can be found here:
Ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov
For those unable to access the online portal, a formal written request must be submitted to the Chatham County Board of Registrars. Hard copy ballot request forms are available in our office or on our website, voter.chathamcounty.org.
Completed absentee ballot request forms may be returned by the following methods:
(1) Mail: Board of Registrars, PO Box 13757, Savannah, GA 31416;
(2) In person: bring to a staff member at the Board of Registrars’ main office at 1117 Eisenhower Drive;
(3) Drop box: currently, the only box available is at the Board of Registrars’ main office (look for blue drop box out front)
(4) Fax: 912-790-1519; or
(5) Email: take a clear photograph or scan of the completed ballot request form and email it as an attachment to: voter@chathamcounty.org.
STEP #2 – Monitor the status of your absentee ballot
Access your personal “My Voter Page” periodically to check on the status of your absentee ballot:
mvp.sos.ga.gov
STEP #3 – Fill out the ballot
Follow instructions on the ballot to ensure you have filled out the ballot properly. Voting via absentee ballot provides voters plenty of time to cast votes for your preferred candidates, and to review the often lengthy ballot measures, amendments and other questions that might be on the ballot.
STEP #4 – Sign and seal the completed ballot
Follow the instructions on the yellow ballot envelope to ensure proper processing.
STEP #5 – Return the completed ballot by mail or by “drop-off”
Completed absentee ballots can be returned by mail to the address printed on the ballot envelope. Under current law, absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day (November 3, 2020) and received by the Board of Registrars no later than three days thereafter (ie, by November 6, 2020).
In addition to the mail-in option, completed ballots may be dropped off in person at the Board of Registrars’ main office at 1117 Eisenhower Drive. Absentee drop boxes are also being installed throughout the county to allow an additional avenue for returning completed absentee ballots. Absentee ballots dropped off in person at the main office or in a drop box must be physically received by 7 pm on Election Day (November 3, 2020).