---
title: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-496. Preparation and filing by superintendent of four copies of consolidated return of primary; electronic filing; superintendent to furnish final copy of each ballot used for primary.
collection: code
id: 21-2-496
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-496 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-496
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-496.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-496/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t21-(v18)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=868a5c43_0#page=547
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: ELECTIONS / ELECTIONS AND PRIMARIES GENERALLY / RETURNS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 21-2-496. Preparation and filing by superintendent of four copies of consolidated return of primary; electronic filing; superintendent to furnish final copy of each ballot used for primary.

(a) Each county and municipal superintendent shall prepare four copies of the consolidated return of the primary to be certified by the superintendent on forms furnished by the Secretary of State, such consolidated returns to be filed immediately upon certification as follows:

(1) One copy to be posted at the office of the election superintendent for the information of the public;

(2) One copy to be filed in the superintendent’s office;

(3) One copy to be forwarded to the Secretary of State together with a copy of each precinct return, the numbered list of voters of each precinct, and the returns and the numbered list of voters for absentee electors; and

(4) One copy to be sealed and filed with the clerk of the superior court, in the case of a county election, or with the city clerk, in the case of a municipal election, as required by Code Section 21-2-500.

(b) The Secretary of State is authorized to provide a method by which the election superintendent can file the results of primaries and elections electronically. Once the Secretary of State provides such a method of filing, the election superintendent shall file a copy of the election returns electronically in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State in addition to the filing provided in subsection (a) of this Code section. The Secretary of State is authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as necessary to provide for such an electronic filing.

(c) Each county and municipal superintendent shall, upon certification, furnish to the Secretary of State in a manner determined by the Secretary of State a final copy of each ballot used for such primary.

## History

Ga. L. 1890-91, p. 210, § 2; Civil Code 1895, § 114; Civil Code 1910, § 128; Code 1933, § 34-3202; Code 1933, § 34-1507, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, Ex. Sess., p. 26, § 1; Ga. L. 1969, p. 292, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 347, § 30; Ga. L. 1979, p. 631, § 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1512, § 5; Ga. L. 1996, p. 145, § 19; Ga. L. 1998, p. 295, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 817, § 5/HB 1098; Ga. L. 2012, p. 995, §§ 36, 37/SB 92.