SB 274: Elections and Primaries; same-day registration and voting; provide

Georgia currently requires voters to register at least five weeks before a primary, election, or runoff. This bill would create an exception to that deadline by adding a new law, Code Section 21-2-224.1, allowing a person to register and vote on the same day, either at their assigned precinct on election day or at any advance voting location in their county during the advance voting period. To do this, a voter would fill out a registration application at the polls and show one of the state's accepted forms of ID along with proof of residency, such as a Georgia driver's license, a utility bill, or a bank statement. The person would then cast a provisional ballot. County boards of registrars would have three business days to verify the application; if approved, the person is added to the voter rolls and their ballot is counted, and if rejected, the person is notified of the reason and the ballot is not counted. The bill also updates related sections on provisional ballot handling and registration deadlines to fit the new option.

• Creates a new same-day registration and voting option (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-224.1) usable on election day at a voter's home precinct or during advance voting at any location in their county.
• Requires same-day registrants to show accepted photo ID plus separate proof of residency, such as a utility bill, bank statement, or government-issued document with their current address.
• Requires same-day registrants to vote a provisional ballot that county registrars must verify within three business days before it is counted or rejected.
• Allows people still in line to register when polls close to still complete registration and cast a provisional ballot.
• Amends the general registration deadline law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-224) to carve out this same-day exception.
• Updates the provisional ballot verification law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-419) so ballots from same-day registrants can be validated and counted like other provisional ballots.

Unregistered Georgia residents who want to register and vote on election day or during advance voting, county boards of registrars and absentee ballot clerks who must process same-day applications within three business days, poll workers handling provisional ballots, and the Secretary of State's office, which oversees the statewide voter list.

People who miss Georgia's usual voter registration deadline, currently the fifth Monday before an election, would gain a way to still cast a ballot by registering in person on election day or during advance voting, provided they can show ID and proof of residency and their eligibility is later confirmed.

• Section 1 adds same-day registration under new Code Section 21-2-224.1 as an accepted method of applying to register alongside existing methods like mail or online applications.
• Section 2 revises the standard registration deadline law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-224) to state it applies 'except as otherwise provided' by the new same-day registration section.
• Section 3 creates Code Section 21-2-224.1, spelling out that a person may register and vote on election day at their precinct or during advance voting at any location in their county of residence, subject to ID and residency proof requirements and provisional ballot verification within three business days.
• Section 4 adds a subsection to the advance voting law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-385) letting unregistered residents register at any advance voting site in their county and cast a provisional ballot, verified the same way.
• Section 5 revises the provisional ballot counting law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-419) so ballots from same-day registrants who meet eligibility requirements are counted, including in cases of wrong precinct or wrong ballot style.
• Section 5 also requires registrars to notify rejected same-day applicants in writing and to process qualifying applications so those voters are added to the rolls for future elections.

1. 2025-02-27Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
2. 2025-02-26Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)Patrocinador principal
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
• David Lucas (D, SD-026)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)

• voter registration
• election rules
• same-day voting
• provisional ballots