Georgia’s Secretary of State today addressed voters’ concerns about COVID-19. Brad Raffensperger issued a press release encouraging Georgians to take advantage of early voting and absentee ballots. He says both options are ways to avoid crowds and minimize possible exposure to the coronavirus.
“Georgia has made convenient and easy ways to avoid crowds while voting through three weeks of early voting and no-excuse absentee ballots,” Raffensperger says in a press release. “Although medical officials say the risk is small in Georgia, people worried they may face higher risk due to age or general health should vote early or absentee. Anyone who isn’t well should indeed vote absentee.”
Raffensperger says state election officials are in close contact with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as Georgia’s Coronavirus Task Force.
The Secretary of State’s Office distributed information to the state’s 159 counties on ways to sanitize touchscreen voting machines, check-in poll pads, and other equipment. State election officials encourage poll workers and voters to thoroughly wash their hands frequently. They’ve also recommended that counties call up extra poll workers for Election Day. That way, if any of them are unable to work, there will be enough poll workers to prevent long lines and keep the election running smoothly.
Early and absentee voting
Voters considering an absentee ballot should request one now to allow ample time to complete and return it to their county elections office.
Early voting in the March 24 Presidential Preference Primary is now underway through March 20. Advance voting begins on March 16.
Early voting dates, times, and locations in Habersham
Since county officials run elections in Georgia, they have the option to offer early voting on more than one weekend or even on a Sunday, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. All of them are required to offer early voting on March 14.
Current vote count
As of Monday morning, March 9, Raffensperger says 153,000 ballots had been cast in the Presidential Preference Primary ahead of the March 24 Election. Of those, 129,000 were cast in person at early-voting locations. Another 24,000 were cast as absentee ballots.
Among the voting, 100,000 were Democratic ballots, 52,000 were Republican and 608 were non- partisan.
To find the site and hours for early voting and the Saturday early-voting location in your area, visit mvp.sos.ga.gov.
