Secretary of State Karen Handel Certifies General Election Results

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today certified the results for the November 4 General Election. The certified results of state and federal races can be found on the Secretary of State’s website: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections

In certifying the results, the Secretary of State affirmed that all 159 counties have provided to the state the total votes tabulated for each federal and state candidate, as well as all state Constitutional Amendments. Further, the Secretary of State affirms that the statewide consolidated returns for federal and state offices, as well as the proposed Constitutional Amendments, are a true and correct tabulation of the certified returns received by this office from each county.

Additionally, with the certification, the time period for a candidate for state office to request a recount begins, and the run-off election for United States Senate, Georgia State Appeals Court, and Public Service Commission-District 4 are officially set for December 2, 2008. Certification does not preclude the state from continuing any current investigations related to the General Election or from pursuing any future allegations that may arise from the election.

Counties should be prepared to begin early voting on Monday, November 17 and no later than Wednesday, November 19. Advance voting week will be held Monday, November 24 through Wednesday, November 26, 2008. To find early and advance voting locations in your county, please contact your county registrar’s office. Contact information can be found on the Secretary of State’s website: http://www.sos.ga.gov/elections/. On Election Day December 2, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters can request a mail-in/absentee ballot from their county registrar’s office through the close of business on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. All absentee ballots must be received by the county registrar by close of polls on Election Day, December 2, 2008. Photo identification is not required when voting by mail. Mail-in/absentee ballots must be received by the appropriate county registrars’ office by close of business on December 2. Given the short timeline leading to the deadline, voters choosing to vote by mail are urged to submit their application as soon as possible and, upon receipt of the ballot, to return the ballot immediately in order to ensure its receipt by the deadline.

Voters will be required to show photo identification when voting in person. For more information on the requirements for photo ID, please call 1-877-725-9797 or visit www.GaPhotoID.com.

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.