Prepping for the polls? Here are the CSRA voting essentials

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - As you prepare to vote on Tuesday, here’s everything you need to know before heading into the polls.

What if I have to work today in Georgia?

Georgians who still have to work today, you can still vote. State law requires your employer to give you up to two hours to vote today.

However, your boss gets to set the time for when you go, and there’s no obligation to pay you during that time.

The law doesn’t apply for employees who go to work at least two hours after the polls open, or leave at least two hours before they close.

Who is there to help guide you through the process?

Poll workers will be at every location to help assist you with any questions relating to your ballot or voting equipment.

How do you vote if you have to work on election day?

Georgia law requires your employer to give you up to two hours to vote on election day, but your employer is allowed to set those.

This doesn’t apply to employees whose work hours start at least two hours after the polls open or end at least two hours before the polls close.

They are also not required to pay you during those hours.

How do you vote if you forget your photo ID on the day of the election?

If you forget your photo ID then you can vote a provisional ballot. After that you have 72 hours to provide identification for your ballot to be counted and that can be taken to your county registrar’s office.

Where or how can local voters identify where their specific polling location is?

Doss says many people wait until the day of the election to find out where their polling location is, but he strongly encourages you not to do that.

Your polling location is on your precinct card. If you don’t have one, you can call your county board of elections office to find out, or you can call the secretary of state.

Several election leaders are pointing us in the direction of the state election pages - MyVoter Page for Georgia and S.C. Votes for South Carolina.

By putting in your name, county and date of birth, you will be able to access your precinct information.

You may also get a chance to check a sample ballot.

What are polling location hours and what is the exception when still waiting in line after the deadline?

The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for both states and as long as you are waiting in line to vote at 7 p.m., you will be allowed.

Doss says the busiest hours seem to be first thing in the morning, around lunch and after 5 p.m.

Will your absentee ballot make it in on time?

For many who requested absentee ballots, there are fears that they won’t make it in on time, because of issues with the postal service and the storm.

Travis Doss, the executive director for the Augusta-Richmond County Board of Elections says they are definitely worried about absentee ballots making it in time, and they have had to reissue ballots.

This is why he is strongly encouraging you to vote in person if you are able because they have seen situations where they mailed the ballot out two weeks ago or longer and voters still have not received them.

As of Wednesday, Aiken County says they have seen more than 36,000 early voters and that does not include absentee ballots.

Richmond County says they have seen nearly 42,000 early voters.

What about absentee ballots for military who are stationed overseas?

Dana Burden, the director of the Aiken County Elections office says if you are on active duty and stationed overseas you can have your absentee ballot emailed to you.

Doss says they will email you instructions and then you will go to the secretary of state’s website and put in a code to access the ballot.

You still have time to do this. If you are on active duty your deadline for your absentee ballot is extended by 15 days.

Doss says they sent out 407 electronic ballots to military and 80 physical ballots to military.

As of Tuesday, they have received 165 electronic ballots back and 43 mailed out ballots back.

What will you need to bring to vote?

Voters need to show any one of these photo IDs at the polls:

• Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
• Georgia driver’s license, even if expired.
• 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 the state.
• Valid U.S. port ID.
• Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter.
• Student photo ID card issued by a Georgia public college, university, or technical school.
• Valid tribal photo ID containing your photograph.

Voters unable to provide photo identification can vote through a provisional ballot. They will need to provide a copy of their ID within three days after the election to their county board of elections and registration.

Here are other rules to be aware of:

• It’s against the rules to wear a campaign hat or candidate shirt when you go to vote.
• You can not pull out your phone when you’re in front of the voting equipment.

Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.