Politics

TODAY is the deadline to register to vote in Georgia’s primary

ATLANTA — If you live in Georgia and want to vote in the primaries then the deadline to register is Monday.

Voters can check their voter registration status at the state’s My Voter Page. The website provides Election Day precinct locations, early voting locations, absentee ballot applications and sample ballots.

There are more than 7.2 million registered voters in Georgia.

Advance voting begins March 2, but the last day to register is Monday, Feb. 24, according to Georgia law. The Presidential Preference Primary will be the first time voters statewide use Georgia’s new secure paper-ballot system.

“The secure paper-ballot system is in place to provide voters assurance their ballots are secure. Georgians need to do their part by registering,” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said. “We have made registering easy and convenient, which is why the number of Georgia voters is soaring.”

All Georgians should check their voter registration information to make sure they are still registered where they currently reside. They can check your registration using the My Voter Page (MVP) website (https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov ). If they are not able to locate their registration using the MVP website, or your information displayed on the MVP website is not accurate, they may submit a new voter registration application or update the information in your existing registration online at this link: https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov

Registration is also possible at county elections offices, state agencies that provide food stamps and Medicaid and mental health, military recruiting centers and public libraries.

Preparations for the Presidential Preference Primary includes the removal of the 18-year-old voting machines and delivery to every county of the new secure paper-ballot system, as well as technical support and training to county elections supervisors who are responsible for training the poll workers they hire locally.

The paper-ballot system has been used in six counties in a pilot during the November municipal elections and then the December runoff. It was also used in special elections in a total of 12 counties held Jan. 28 and Feb. 4.

An important feature of the new system is the ability to audit the results. Two public audits, using different methods, have already demonstrated the accuracy and reliability of the results.

To educate voters on ways Georgia is protecting election integrity, Raffensperger launched Secure the Vote. More information is online at SecureVoteGa.com .

Georgia is a leader in election innovation and access with automatic voter registration through the Department of Driver Services, three weeks of early voting – including a Saturday, and no-excuse absentee voting. It is the top state in the number of motor voter registrations and, in the last election cycle, experienced record registration and a record increase in turnout.