SB562: SB562 Voters; persons of this state who are homeless to use the address of the registrar's office of the county in which such person resides; allow

Under current Georgia law, a homeless person without a permanent address who wants to register to vote must use the address of the county registrar's office as their mailing address for election purposes. This bill would broaden that option. The bill rewrites part of Georgia's voter residency law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-217) so that a homeless person without a permanent address could choose among three addresses for election purposes: the county registrar's office, a postsecondary educational institution (such as a college) where they are enrolled, or a place of worship they are affiliated with. The change gives homeless voters more flexibility in meeting the address requirements needed to register and vote in Georgia elections. The bill does not set an effective date beyond standard enactment, and it repeals any conflicting laws.

• Expands the list of addresses a homeless voter without a permanent address can use for election purposes beyond just the county registrar's office.
• Adds a postsecondary educational institution where the person is enrolled as an allowable mailing address for voter registration.
• Adds a place of worship the person is affiliated with as another allowable mailing address option.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new rule.

Homeless individuals in Georgia who lack a permanent address and want to register to vote, as well as county boards of registrars, colleges and universities, and places of worship that may become listed addresses for these voters.

Homeless Georgians who want to vote would have more ways to satisfy the address requirement tied to voter registration, potentially making it easier for them to register if they attend a local college or belong to a congregation rather than relying solely on the registrar's office.

• Section 1 revises paragraph (1.1) of subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 21-2-217, which governs residency rules for voter registration.
• The revised text lets a homeless person without a permanent address use the mailing address of the county registrar's office, a postsecondary institution they attend, or a place of worship they are affiliated with.
• Section 2 repeals any laws or parts of laws that conflict with this change.

1. 2026-02-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-02-24Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)Primary sponsor
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)

• voter registration
• homelessness
• election rules
• voting access