How to vote by mail in Georgia for the 2026 midterm elections and who is eligible

The midterm elections are less than a month away, and the next major deadline for Georgia voters is applying to vote by mail.

Here is what Georgia voters need to know about voting by mail:

Who is eligible to vote by mail in Georgia?

Unlike some other states, Georgia has few restrictions on who can vote by absentee ballot.

To vote by mail, you must be registered to vote. The registration deadline has already passed for the midterm election, but you can register to vote for future elections at this time.

To be eligible to vote in Georgia, you must fit these qualifications:

• Be a U.S. citizen who is a legal resident of a Georgia county
• Be at least 17 1/2 years of age to register and will turn 18 by the time you vote
• Not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction
• Have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge

You will also need a form of voter identification, such as a driver's license.

What is the deadline to apply to vote by mail in Georgia?

The earliest day to request a mail absentee ballot was Aug. 17. Applications will be accepted until close of business on Oct. 23.

While absentee ballot can be requested as close as 11 calendar days before the midterms, officials with the Georgia Secretary of State encourage residents to request and return their absentee ballot as early as possible to give the ballot time to travel through the mail.

How to apply to vote by mail in Georgia

To vote by absentee ballot in Georgia, you must submit an application ahead of time. There are various ways to send in your application.

You can get the application via the Secretary of State's Absentee by Mail Request Portal or here.

Once you've either added your information, including your ID number, on the website or by writing it on a printed version, you will need to sign it by hand with ink, as required by Georgia law.

You can then either submit it via the portal, email, mail, or fax it to your County Board of Registrars Office. You can also submit your application in person at the office as long as you bring an accepted photo ID.

While the primary elections require you to request a specific ballot, that is not the case for the general election.

When is the deadline for mail ballots in Georgia?

Once your county elections office reviews and approves your application, it will send your ballot by mail. If you do not receive your absentee ballot after submitting the application, you should contact your county registrar.

Ballots are due by the time polls close on Election Day, which is 7 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2026, for the upcoming midterm election.

How to see if a mail ballot was received and accepted and how to fix problems

After turning your ballot in, you can see the status of your vote on the Secretary of State's My Voter Page in the section marked "Absentee Ballot Request Information."

In the event that your ballot was rejected or has an issue, the county elections office will contact you with a document to "cure" or correct the situation. The Secretary of State's Office says that one of the most common reasons that an absentee ballot is rejected is because of the applicant's signature.

I haven't received my absentee ballot. Can I vote in person?

If you have not received your ballot, you can head to the polls on Election Day to vote in person, however, you will have to sign a document attesting that you are only voting once in the election.

If you have sent in your absentee ballot, you have voted, and you cannot vote in person.