As voters prepare for the Georgia general primary on May 21, college students who live away from home might have questions about how to prepare. Below is a comprehensive guide to ensuring you’re ready to vote on Election Day.

Who is on the ballot? In each precinct, the ballot will look different depending on who is up for re-election in the area. Some of the major races include candidates for the United States House of Representatives, Georgia House of Representatives, Georgia Public Service Commission, and the Georgia State Senate. Candidates for sheriff, mayor, and local county seats may also be on the ballot.

1. Register to vote, and choose where. In elections, voters can only use one address to vote. While some college students choose to vote in the county they are from, others choose to change their address to the place where they’re attending school. Choosing where to vote is usually a matter of determining which community’s issues and political leader matter to you the most. You can register to vote, change your registered address, or check on your registration status at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
2. Prepare your ID. If you have a Georgia’s driver’s license or state-issued ID, you can register to vote online. If not, you must print and fill out the paper registration form and then return the completed form, along with a copy of an approved proof of residence document, to the address on the form. You can find a list of accepted IDs here
3. Make a Plan to Vote. After registering to vote, you can decide whether you want to vote on Election Day, vote early in-person, or through an absentee ballot.
   • Early voting polls are open from April 29-17. You can find your nearest polling place here. If you vote in-person, you’ll need a Georgia ID or federal ID that has an address matching the precinct you’re voting in, such as a voter ID card, military ID, or passport. Some colleges allow student ID’s to be used at polls, which you can check here.
   • Absentee ballots can be mailed in after completion or submitted at your nearest drop-off location, which can be found by contacting your county election office. If you do not have a Georgia ID, you can provide other approved forms of ID or the last 4 digits of your SSN.
4. Research your Candidates. Before you make it to the polls, be sure to look up the candidates running for state and local positions and their platforms. Resources like Ballotpedia and My Voter Page can help you get a good idea of the candidates in your county and their platforms.

Although the process of voting while in college may seem daunting to a young voter, voting in this election will help you be even more familiar with the election process by the time the November general election rolls around.

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