DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — In DeKalb County, election workers spent part of Monday placing voting machines in position and hung "Vote Here" signs outside early voting locations. All that is needed now are the voters.
"We just want our voters to make a plan," said Keisha Smith, DeKalb County's election director. "Don't wait until the last minute to vote."
To ensure they're set, voters around Georgia are directed to the state's My Voter Page.
That is where you can make sure you're registered to vote, click to review a sample ballot specific to your county (FYI, there is more than the presidential election to vote on), and, with another click, see a list of yearly voting locations for your county.
The dates and hours for each location will be listed. The number of early voting days and hours can vary by county, but early voting runs between October 15 and November 1.
Unlike election day, when you have to vote at your assigned precinct, you can vote at any polling location in your county during early voting.
When you vote in person, you must bring a photo ID. The state lists the following as acceptable:
- Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by your county registrar's office Georgia Dept. of Driver Services.
- A Georgia driver's license, even if expired
- Student ID from a Georgia public college or university.
- Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
- Valid U.S. passport ID
- Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
Because high voter turnout is expected, according to Smith, DeKalb increased early voting locations for this election from 18 to 20, and her office has also increased the number of poll workers.
“We are prepared for a historic turnout," Smith said. "We know that it is a presidential election; we have staffed accordingly. We have increased staffing levels for both early voting and election day, and we are going to have over 2,200 poll workers during this session.”
After the state election board recently approved several election rule changes, certain election workers were also trained on Monday at DeKalb's main election office.
“We have brought our poll managers and some other poll officials back in to review some of the new rules that will be in place, and we will continue to do that throughout the day and throughout the week," Smith said.
Due to recent postal problems around Georgia and other states, Smith has advice for anyone who is voting with an absentee ballot but has concerns over potential mail delays.
"If they're concerned that the delay in the mail would prevent their ballot from arriving to us on time, please take that ballot to any of our advance voting locations. Whether they have a drop box or not," she said.
Smith said there is one change they need to be aware of for voters who will be voting by absentee ballot but dropping it off in person instead of mailing it to the county. The change also applies to anyone dropping off an absentee ballot for someone in their household.
“We want folks to know that you have to complete a form when you’re dropping your ballot off at any of the sites that don’t have drop boxes.”
