Secretary of State Handel Reminds Voters to Bring Photo ID When Voting in the General Primary Election Run-off

Secretary of State Karen Handel today reminded voters to bring photo identification when participating in the August 5, 2008 statewide General Primary Election Run-off. Voters who did not participate in the July 15 General Primary or selected a non-partisan ballot will be able to vote in either the Democratic or Republican Party’s General Primary run-off. Voters who selected a Democratic or Republican Party ballot in the General Primary can only vote in the same party’s Primary run-off.

Voters will be required to show one of the following six forms of photo ID when voting in-person on Election Day:

A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
Valid U.S. passport;
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. military photo ID; or
Valid tribal photo ID.

If a voter does not have one of these forms of photo identification, they can obtain a free voter ID card at their county registrars’ office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services. Anyone with additional questions about Georgia’s photo ID requirement can visit www.GAPhotoID.com or call toll free (877) 725-9797.

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 5, 2008. Voters can find voter registration information, including polling locations and legislative districts, by visiting http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/locator.asp.

Voters can request an absentee ballot from their county registrar’s office through Friday, August 1, 2008. All absentee ballots must be received by the county registrar by Election Day, Tuesday, August 5, 2008. Photo identification is not required when voting by mail.

A Special Primary Election will also be held on August 5 for state Senate District 13. The Special Primary will be held in Ben Hill, Crisp, Irwin, Lee, Tift, Turner and Worth counties, and a portion of Wilcox County. Because the Special Primary is in lieu of the General Republican Primary for state Senate District 13, voters will only be able to participate in the Special Primary if they choose a Republican or nonpartisan ballot in the July 15, 2008 General Primary or if they did not vote in the Primary at all.

Karen Handel was sworn in as Secretary of State in January 2007. The Secretary of State's office offers important services to our citizens and our business community. Among the office’s wide-ranging responsibilities, the Secretary of State is charged with conducting efficient and secure elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders. The office also oversees the Georgia Archives and the Capitol Museum.