Polls open: Early voting starts in Georgia primary election

Candidates compete across the state ahead of May 21 primary
Johnny Payne was the first early voter for Georgia's primary at the DeKalb County elections office on Monday, April 29, 2024. JOHN SPINK / JOHN.SPINK@AJC.COM

Credit: John Spink/AJC

Credit: John Spink/AJC

Johnny Payne was the first early voter for Georgia's primary at the DeKalb County elections office on Monday, April 29, 2024. JOHN SPINK / JOHN.SPINK@AJC.COM

Voting locations open across Georgia Monday for three weeks of early voting in partisan primary elections for Congress, the General Assembly and local officials.

Every Georgia voter will have races on their ballot, and all registered voters are eligible to cast a Democratic, nonpartisan or Republican ballot.

The winners of the partisan primaries will advance to the general election in November. In some cases, the primary will effectively decide the winner of races in which no candidate from a different party is running.

In-person early voting is usually the most popular way Georgians choose to cast their ballots leading up to election day.

Early voting is available on at least 17 days, including 15 weekdays and two Saturdays. Counties also have the option to open voting places on two Sundays. Election day is May 21.

Georgia is an open primary state, meaning voters can choose whichever party’s primary they want to participate in.

Many voters will find that their district boundaries and representatives have changed since the General Assembly redrew political lines last year.

Voters can find their districts, view sample ballots and check their voting locations through the state’s My Voter Page at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Voters can also use the website to request absentee ballots, which must be requested by May 10, then returned and received at county election offices before polls close on election day.

Currently, Republicans hold a 9-5 advantage in Georgia’s congressional delegation, a 33-23 lead in the state Senate and a 102-78 edge in the state House.