GA Secretary of state mailing absentee ballot form to every state resident ahead of primary

Monday, April 6, 2020

ATLANTA, GA (WRDW/WAGT) -- Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger held a news conference to discuss voter security in light of the Georgia primary's postponement due to COVID-19.

Raffensperger said all Georgia residents are in the process of receiving applications for absentee ballots in the mail. If you wish to vote in the primary, your goal is to simply fill out the form, put a stamp on it, and mail it in. If you don't have a stamp, you can e-mail the form to a local election office. All of this is an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"We must protect the health and safety of Georgians," Raffensperger said. "That is why our team took the unprecedented state to mail every active voter an absentee ballot application."

Officials are also stressing the importance of accurate voter rolls, so if you receive an application form for a previous resident, don't throw away the form. Instead, circle the address, write "no longer at this address", and put it back in your mailbox.

An absentee ballot fraud task force is also being created to allow for additional security. They're looking to set up systems to make sure fraud is caught.

"The absentee ballot fraud task force is created to ensure that even as the way we vote may fluctuate, the power of that vote does not," Raffensperger said.

With the state's battle against COVID-19 still ongoing, Raffensperger's office says they're committed to making sure the voice of Georgia's residents is heard.

"I believe in the people of Georgia," Raffensperger said. "I believe in their strength, their courage, and their perseverance. I know that together, we will come back stronger than before."

The COVID-19 pandemic caused state leaders to push back the primary for almost two months.