EDITORIAL: Election deadlines approaching, get informed and get involved

Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Election Day may not be until the first Tuesday in November, but some important dates related to the upcoming mid-term races are fast-approaching.

The deadline to register or update voting information and still be eligible to cast a ballot in the November general election is Oct. 9. Now is the time to also check your voter registration information and update it if you have recently moved or had a name change. You can go online to verify that your voter information is correct and update it, if necessary. 

Local citizens who have not yet registered to vote have a few more weeks to get registered before Election Day. You can submit an electronic application using your Georgia driver’s license number or state-issued ID card number by using either the Online Voter Registration system (https://registertovote.sos.ga.gov/) or through the free “GA SOS” mobile app for Apple and Android devices. You can also mail in a hard-copy of the completed voter registration application to the county registrar’s office. College students can also get applications from their campus registrar’s office.

To register in Georgia, an individual must be a citizen of the United States, be a legal resident of the county, be at least 17 and 1/2 years of age, among other requirements. 

A total of 5,023 voters or 22.29 percent of registered voters cast ballots in Milledgeville and Baldwin County in May’s primary election. While the number of voters participating in the November general election is expected to be considerably larger, local eligible voters need to take notice, get registered, get their information updated and get informed about the races and issues on the upcoming ballot. If you’re already registered, then tell a friend and share these pertinent dates with others so they can be informed. 

Once you’ve registered and updated the necessary information, remember that advance in-person voting begins Oct. 15. 

Tuesday marked the first day that absentee ballots for the general election could be mailed out. If you have already completed your absentee ballot request form, keep an eye out for your ballot’s arrival. Once you receive it, complete it and return in order to cast your vote. 

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. 

The first step is getting registered. The deadline is drawing near.