Georgia’s Statewide General Primary and Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) elections, previously scheduled for March 24 and May 19, have been postponed until June 9.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the decision after Governor Brian Kemp extended the state of emergency Wednesday, April 8.
Raffensperger said, “This decision allows our office and county election officials to continue to put in place contingency plans to ensure that voting can be safe and secure when in-person voting begins and prioritizes the health and safety of voters, county election officials, and poll workers.”
Election officials across the state were having difficulty finding workers for the elections, according to a press release from Raffensperger.
Fannin County Board of Elections’ Vice Chairman Mary Ann Conner said she had around a dozen poll workers say they would not be able to work the election.
The voter registration deadline will now be May 11, and early voting for the General Primary will begin May 18.
Votes of those who early voted for the PPP will be honored.
Absentee ballot applications will continue to be accepted and processed by counties even if the application said May 19.
Currently, the only absentee ballots received from Fannin residents are for the PPP and will now be counted June 9, Conner said.
General Primary absentee ballots will be mailed “toward the end of the month,” she said.
If anyone needs an absentee ballot application, one can be obtained by informing the county Board of Elections office. An application can also be downloaded from their website fannincountyga.com/board-of-elections/. A run-off for the June 9 election, if necessary, will now be held August 11.
“I certainly realize that every difficulty will not be completely solved by the time in-person voting begins for the June 9 election, but elections must happen even in less than ideal circumstances,” Raffensperger said. “This postponement allows us to provide additional protection and safety resources to county election officials, poll workers, and voters without affecting the November election.”