What you need to know about mail-in and advance voting in the CSRA

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - We’re less than 100 days until the November election, and many Americans are expecting to vote by mail for the first time because of the pandemic.

One thing is clear: You need to give it even more time than officials might recommend to get your ballot through the mail system.

How long might it take for that vote to actually arrive and be counted?

CBS News decided to test it, sending 100 mock ballots simulating a hundred voters in locations all across Philadelphia to a post office box. After some delays, 97 arrived. In a close election, 3% could be pivotal, especially in what's expected to be a record year for mail-in-voting.

The U.S. Postal Service says voters should mail their return ballots at least one week prior to the due date.

In-person advance voting

Early voting for the Georgia primary runoffs is now underway.

If you live in Richmond County, here’s the schedule of locations:

Augusta Municipal Building Beazley Room, 535 Telfair St., Augusta: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. this week and 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 3-7.
Robert Howard Community Center at Diamond Lakes Regional Park, 4335 Windsor Spring Road, Augusta: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 3-7.
Henry Brigham Community Center, 2463 Golden Camp Road, Augusta: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 3-7.
Warren Road Community Center, 300 Warren Road, Augusta: 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 3-7.

For in person voting, a photo ID is required, and voters are asked to wear a clean face covering. Voting in person will likely take longer due to social distancing and the limited number of staff and voters allowed in each facility. Officials encourage all voters to vote by mail. If you choose to cancel your mail in absentee ballot, bring it with you to the polls.

Columbia County, meanwhile, is not having a countywide runoff, according to Elections Director Nancy Gay. The runoff there involves only one polling site, Damascus Baptist Church, she said. It’s the race for state representative for Georgia District 33, and the candidates are Rob Leverett and Tripp Strickland. Early/advance voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in Building G3 of the county government complex at 610 Ronald Reagan Drive in Evans.