Voters with Disabilities

Information on Georgia’s Voting System and Assistance when Voting

Every effort has been made to determine whether our polling places have basic accessibility features needed by voters with disabilities. In some cases, we may provide temporary measures such as directional or disabled parking signs, ramps, cones, or ballot call devices to make the polling place accessible on Election Day.

There are many options available to assist Georgia voters when casting their ballot. For more information on Georgia’s voting system and how to receive assistance when casting your ballot, please go to the Secretary of State’s Website.

Apply to Vote by Mail

A disabled voter residing inside the county may receive assistance from an adult relative to apply for an Absentee Ballot. The box on the application that indicates the voter is disabled must be checked, and the relative completing the application must sign the oath on the application, indicating they have assisted the voter in applying for the ballot. If the voter’s information or signature is missing, the voter may be mailed a provisional Absentee Ballot and be required to provide additional information to cure the discrepancy.

Voters 65 and over or disabled may request to receive all ballots by mail for the remaining elections within the current election cycle. This option is available for selection on all Absentee Ballot Applications, except that special elections are not included.

Voting the Absentee Ballot

A physically disabled voter may receive assistance in preparing his or her ballot by any person of the voter’s choice except:

  • the voter’s employer or agent of the employer; or,
  • an officer or agent of the voter’s union; or,
  • a candidate on the ballot; or,
  • a candidate’s mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, niece, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, unless the voter is related to the candidate by one of these same relationships.

The person assisting the disabled voter in preparing the ballot shall sign the oath printed on the same envelope as the oath to be signed by the voter. Georgia law requires that voters sign the oath. If the voter’s information or signature is missing, the absentee ballot will be held in provisional status until the voter corrects the discrepancy. Voters may be asked to update their registration records to ensure the latest signature is on file. Neither a Power of Attorney nor another person’s signature is valid for the purpose of voting.

Returning the Absentee Ballot

An adult relative, caregiver, or individual residing in the household of the disabled voter may mail or personally deliver the voted ballot to the Elections Office or place it in the absentee ballot dropbox.

The ballot may be returned by any adult person upon satisfactory proof that such adult person is the voter’s mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, an individual residing in the household, or a caregiver, regardless of whether the caregiver resides in the voter’s household.

In-Person Voting

On Election Day, between the hours of 9:30 a.m – 4:30 p.m, each elector who is 75 years of age or older or who is disabled and requires assistance in voting shall, upon request to a poll officer, be allowed to vote at the next available voting compartment without having to wait in line.

  • Poll workers will work the disabled or elderly person in as soon as possible given the number of other voters in line at the time.
  • Once the ballot is accessed on-screen, the voter may select display settings that enlarge the text or change the contrast.
  • There will be a least one voting unit at each polling place set up for easy access by wheelchair or from a seated position.
  • Voter who have sight disabilities and wish to use an audio ballot should notify the poll worker at the ID check-in station.
  • At least one voting unit in each polling place will be equipped with a headset and a tactile voting device for navigating the audio ballot.