ATLANTA — Georgians are off to the polls Tuesday, voting in primaries across the state to determine who will appear on the general election ballots come November.
The outcomes of these primary elections will be closely watched across the country, as the Peach State now stands as one of the most important swing states in the country. The outcomes of several of these primaries could give a hint as to which way the wind will blow in November.
Interest in the primaries has already been high - the state shattered its record for turnout in the early voting period, with more than 850,000 votes before Primary Day even arrived.
If you're heading out to cast your vote, here are some things to keep in mind:
What time do polls open and close?
The polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and close at 7 p.m.
But don't leave if you're there by 7 p.m.
You simply have to be in line by 7 p.m. Polling places will accommodate voters who make it to polling locations by the 7 p.m. deadline.
Where do I vote?
You can go to the state's My Voter Page and input your personal information, including first initial, last name, date of birth and county you live in.
Once you're logged in, you should see a link at the top of the page that says "My Voting Location" which will take you to your information.
What if I show up at the wrong polling place?
You can go to the correct location (if you have enough time) -- or vote with a provisional ballot -- but do so with caution.
According to the Georgia Voter Guide, which is provided by the state, election officials are supposed to tell voters who show up at the wrong polling place where their correct polling location is on Election Day. This is to make sure each voter tries their hardest to make their ballot count.
However, if a voter chooses to not go to their correct polling place they can opt for a provisional ballot. Georgia law says a provisional ballot will not be counted unless it meets all five of these conditions.
Know that you may have to "cure" your ballot by going to your County Elections Office. Voters will have until Friday and that process is outlined here.
To avoid the hassle, it's strongly encouraged you double-check where you can vote before showing up at a polling place.
You can vote in either party's primary
Georgia does not register voters by party, so you just pick whichever primary you want to vote in. It's really that simple.
You can read a little more about that here, but whichever party's primary you choose to vote in has no impact on how you may vote in November, and you can pick either party to vote for - even if in the past you've voted in the other party's primary.
However, once you pick a party's primary to vote in, you can't switch back over for any runoff voting.
If you don't want to vote in either party's primary and only want to vote on local nonpartisan races, such as for judges, you may also select a nonpartisan ballot.
What if I still have my absentee ballot?
You can't use it at this point, under new Georgia absentee ballot regulations.
But you can still vote!
If you still have your absentee ballot, it's a simple process - take it with you to your polling location on Tuesday and give it to the poll worker. They'll cancel it for you, and then you can proceed to vote in person.
What if I requested an absentee ballot but never got it?
You can still vote!
If you lost your absentee ballot or never got it, you will have to tell poll workers and they'll have to go through a bit of a confirmation process to cancel your absentee ballot. The Georgia Voter Guide explains:
Let the poll worker know that you lost or never received your absentee ballot. The poll worker will need to contact the county to have your ballot cancelled. You will also have to sign an affidavit attesting to the fact that you lost or never received your ballot. This can take a little time and the poll worker may need to ask the Poll Manager for assistance, so be prepared. Once your absentee ballot has been cancelled, you should be able to proceed to vote on the voting machines.
Don't take any videos or pictures of yourself voting
Seriously - it's not allowed. No selfies with ballots or photos of voting machines.
Just take a picture of your sticker afterward.
