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GEORGIA CODE (Last Updated: August 20, 2013) |
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Title 21. ELECTIONS |
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Chapter 2. ELECTIONS AND PRIMARIES GENERALLY |
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Article 6. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS |
| § 21-2-210. Secretary of State deemed the chief state election official |
| § 21-2-211. List of registered electors; provision of equipment to access and utilize list |
| § 21-2-212. County registrars; appointment; certification; term of service; vacancies; compensation and expenses of chief registrar, registrars, and other officers and employees; budget estimates |
| § 21-2-213. County deputy registrars; clerical help; appointment of county officer or employee as chief deputy registrar |
| § 21-2-213.1. Monthly contingent expense allowance for the operation of the office of the board of registrars |
| § 21-2-214. Qualifications of registrars and deputy registrars; prohibited political activities; oath of office; privilege from arrest; duties conducted in public |
| § 21-2-215. Main office of board of registrars; location; business hours; additional registration places; educators to serve as deputy registrars; training; registration cards and papers |
| § 21-2-217. Rules for determining residence |
| § 21-2-218. Cancellation of registration in former state or county; address changes and corrections |
| § 21-2-220. Application for registration; identification requirement; rejection for failure to provide required information or for submission of false information; aid to disabled or illiterate |
| § 21-2-221. Driver's license or identification card application as application for voter registration; forms and procedure; electronic transmission of applications and signatures |
| § 21-2-221.2. Voter registration application for electronic voter registration |
| § 21-2-222. Designated voter registration agencies and offices; definitions; duties of agencies and offices |
| § 21-2-223. Mail voter registration application forms |
| § 21-2-224. Registration deadlines; restrictions on voting in primaries; official list of electors; voting procedure when portion of county changed from one county to another |
| § 21-2-225. Confidentiality of original registration applications; limitations on registration data available for public inspection; data made available by Secretary of State |
| § 21-2-225.1. Confidentiality of address of registered electors; term of request; procedure |
| § 21-2-226. Duties of county board in determining eligibility of voters; maps of municipal boundaries; notice of ineligibility; issuance of registration cards; reimbursement for postage cost |
| § 21-2-227. Duty of registrars to furnish list of electors for elections held in governmental subdivisions |
| § 21-2-228. Examination of electors' qualifications; subpoenas; notice and hearing; right of appeal |
| § 21-2-229. Challenge of applicant for registration by other electors; notice and hearing; right of appeal |
| § 21-2-230. Challenge of persons on list of electors by other electors; procedure; hearing; right of appeal |
| § 21-2-232. Removal of elector's name from list of electors |
| § 21-2-233. Comparison of change of address information supplied by United States Postal Service with electors list; removal from list of electors; notice to electors |
| § 21-2-234. Electors who have failed to vote and with whom there has been no contact in three years; confirmation notice requirements and procedure; time for completion of list maintenance activities |
| § 21-2-235. Inactive list of electors |
| § 21-2-236. Periods of retention of registration cards, applications, and records of list maintenance activities; rules and regulations regarding safekeeping and maintenance of electronic records |
REFS & ANNOS
TITLE 21 Chapter 2 Article 6 NOTE
CROSS REFERENCES. --Exceptions to right to register and vote, Ga. Const. 1983, Art. II, Sec. I, Para. III. Penalties for offenses relating to voter registration, §§ 21-2-561, 21-2-562.
EDITOR'S NOTES. --Ga. L. 1994, p. 1443, § 3, effective January 1, 1995, repealed the Code sections formerly codified at this article and enacted a new article. The former article consisted of Code Sections 21-2-210 through 21-2-246 and was based on Orig. Code 1863, § 1227; Code 1868, § 1308; Code 1873, § 1281; Code 1882, § 1281; Ga. L. 1894, p. 115, §§ 2, 6-8, 10-12, 14; Ga. L. 1895, p. 115, § 3; Civil Code 1895, §§ 34, 36, 41, 42, 48-50, 52-54, 56-58, 60, 63, 64; Ga. L. 1897, p. 95, § 1; Ga. L. 1899, p. 21, § 1; Ga. L. 1908, p. 58, §§ 1, 4-10; Civil Code 1910, §§ 36, 38, 41, 42, 49, 50, 52, 54-56, 58, 59, 61, 63-66, 68, 70, 71, 73, 74; Ga. L. 1911, p. 167, § 2; Ga. L. 1913, p. 115, §§ 1, 3; Code 1933, §§ 34-103, 34-106 - 34-108, 34-115, 34-203, 34-204, 34-301, 34-303, 34-401, 34-402, 34-404, 34-405, 34-407, 34-408, 34-602 - 34-605, 34-801, 34-803, 34-804, 34-1001, 34-1101; Ga. L. 1943, p. 353, § 3; Ga. L. 1949, p. 1204, §§ 6-11, 13-20, 23, 24, 26, 28-36, 39, 41, 42, 45, 48, 53, 54; Ga. L. 1950, p. 126, § 8; Ga. L. 1955, p. 344, § 1; Ga. L. 1957, p. 385, § 1; Ga. L. 1958, p. 269, §§ 2-8, 10-17, 20-31, 33, 35, 36, 39, 41, 43, 44; Ga. L. 1959, p. 182, § 1; Ga. L. 1960, p. 257, § 1; Ga. L. 1960, p. 955, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 56, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 162, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 164, § 1; Ga. L. 1963, p. 73, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1964, Ex. Sess., p. 26, § 1; Code 1933, §§ 34-601 - 34-607, 34-609 - 34-617, 34-619 - 34-636; Ga. L. 1968, p. 847, § 1; Ga. L. 1968, p. 871, §§ 1-4, 4a; Ga. L. 1969, p. 285, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1969, p. 329, §§ 5a, 7; Ga. L. 1970, p. 383, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1971, p. 270, § 1; Ga. L. 1971, Ex. Sess., p. 61, §§ 1-7; Ga. L. 1974, p. 95, §§ 1-6; Ga. L. 1975, p. 803, §§ 1-4; Ga. L. 1976, p. 457, §§ 1-4; Ga. L. 1976, p. 468, § 1; Ga. L. 1976, p. 473, § 1; Code 1933, § 34-626.1; Ga. L. 1977, p. 1053, § 2; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1004, §§ 6-13, 24, 36; Code 1933, § 34-608; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1023, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1035, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 955, § 2; Ga. L. 1979, p. 962, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 1080, § 1; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1256, §§ 1, 6; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1238, §§ 4-6; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1718, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1798, §§ 1-3; Code 1981, §§ 21-2-210 - 21-246; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 21; Ga. L. 1982, p. 442, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 688, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 850, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1292, §§ 3-7; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1512, § 5; Ga. L. 1982, p. 2107, §§ 21-23; Ga. L. 1983, p. 140, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1983, p. 786, § 2; Ga. L. 1983, p. 930, §§ 5, 6; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1, §§ 2-5; Ga. L. 1984, p. 133, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 635, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 677, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 694, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 922, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1372, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1430, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1490, §§ 1, 2; Code 1981, § 21-2-232.1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 206, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 496, §§ 7-12; Code 1981, § 21-2-232.2; Ga. L. 1985, p. 632, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1236, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1318, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1986, p. 32, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 382, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1986, p. 772, § 2; Ga. L. 1986, p. 932, §§ 1-4; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1028, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 351, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 417, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1360, § 12; Ga. L. 1988, p. 639, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 647, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 752, §§ 1-5; Ga. L. 1988, p. 926, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 928, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 10, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 659, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 661, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 662, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 849, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1082, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 143, §§ 1, 1A, 2; Ga. L. 1990, p. 243, §§ 5, 6; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1238, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1282, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 133, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 56, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1060, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1231, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1815, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2048, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2051, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2345, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 118, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 617, §§ 6, 7; Ga. L. 1994, p. 237, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1406, §§ 10-18.
Ga. L. 1994, p. 1443, § 28, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval [April 15, 1994] for the purpose of authorizing the Secretary of State to design and distribute such forms and materials and to develop, procure, and install such computer hardware and software as are required under the provisions of this Act and to exercise such administrative authority as such officer deems necessary and proper for the implementation of this Act. For all other purposes, this Act shall become effective January 1, 1995."
JUDICIAL DECISIONS
EDITOR'S NOTES. --In light of the similarity of the provisions, decisions under former Code 1933, Chapter 34-6 and § 34-115 are included in the annotations for this article.
PURPOSE OF REGISTRATION STATUTES. --Registration statutes have for their purpose the regulation of the exercise of the right of suffrage, not to qualify or restrict the right to vote. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
Registration laws are the means or machinery under which proofs are furnished showing the existence of the voter's qualifications. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
REGISTRATION LAWS MUST BE IMPARTIAL, uniform, and reasonable, giving to all a fair and reasonable opportunity to exercise such right. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
LIMITATION ON LEGISLATURE'S POWER TO DETERMINE VOTER QUALIFICATIONS. --The legislature, even in the absence of express constitutional power, can provide for the registration of voters; but where the state Constitution provides who shall be entitled to vote, the legislature cannot take from or add to the qualifications unless the power is granted expressly or by necessary implication. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
The legislature has wide latitude in determining how the qualifications required by the Constitution may be determined, provided it does not deny the right of franchise by making the exercise of such right so difficult or inconvenient as to amount to a denial of the right to vote. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
CITED in NAACP v. Georgia, 494 F. Supp. 668 (N.D. Ga. 1980).
OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
FOR GENERAL DISCUSSION OF POWERS AND DUTIES OF COUNTY BOARDS OF REGISTRARS AND CHIEF REGISTRARS, see 1982 Op. Att'y Gen. No. U82-12.
RESEARCH REFERENCES
ALR. --Constitutionality of statutes in relation to registration before voting at election or primary, 91 ALR 349.
EDITOR'S NOTES. --Ga. L. 1994, p. 1443, § 3, effective January 1, 1995, repealed the Code sections formerly codified at this article and enacted a new article. The former article consisted of Code Sections 21-2-210 through 21-2-246 and was based on Orig. Code 1863, § 1227; Code 1868, § 1308; Code 1873, § 1281; Code 1882, § 1281; Ga. L. 1894, p. 115, §§ 2, 6-8, 10-12, 14; Ga. L. 1895, p. 115, § 3; Civil Code 1895, §§ 34, 36, 41, 42, 48-50, 52-54, 56-58, 60, 63, 64; Ga. L. 1897, p. 95, § 1; Ga. L. 1899, p. 21, § 1; Ga. L. 1908, p. 58, §§ 1, 4-10; Civil Code 1910, §§ 36, 38, 41, 42, 49, 50, 52, 54-56, 58, 59, 61, 63-66, 68, 70, 71, 73, 74; Ga. L. 1911, p. 167, § 2; Ga. L. 1913, p. 115, §§ 1, 3; Code 1933, §§ 34-103, 34-106 - 34-108, 34-115, 34-203, 34-204, 34-301, 34-303, 34-401, 34-402, 34-404, 34-405, 34-407, 34-408, 34-602 - 34-605, 34-801, 34-803, 34-804, 34-1001, 34-1101; Ga. L. 1943, p. 353, § 3; Ga. L. 1949, p. 1204, §§ 6-11, 13-20, 23, 24, 26, 28-36, 39, 41, 42, 45, 48, 53, 54; Ga. L. 1950, p. 126, § 8; Ga. L. 1955, p. 344, § 1; Ga. L. 1957, p. 385, § 1; Ga. L. 1958, p. 269, §§ 2-8, 10-17, 20-31, 33, 35, 36, 39, 41, 43, 44; Ga. L. 1959, p. 182, § 1; Ga. L. 1960, p. 257, § 1; Ga. L. 1960, p. 955, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 56, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 162, § 1; Ga. L. 1961, p. 164, § 1; Ga. L. 1963, p. 73, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1964, Ex. Sess., p. 26, § 1; Code 1933, §§ 34-601 - 34-607, 34-609 - 34-617, 34-619 - 34-636; Ga. L. 1968, p. 847, § 1; Ga. L. 1968, p. 871, §§ 1-4, 4a; Ga. L. 1969, p. 285, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1969, p. 329, §§ 5a, 7; Ga. L. 1970, p. 383, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1971, p. 270, § 1; Ga. L. 1971, Ex. Sess., p. 61, §§ 1-7; Ga. L. 1974, p. 95, §§ 1-6; Ga. L. 1975, p. 803, §§ 1-4; Ga. L. 1976, p. 457, §§ 1-4; Ga. L. 1976, p. 468, § 1; Ga. L. 1976, p. 473, § 1; Code 1933, § 34-626.1; Ga. L. 1977, p. 1053, § 2; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1004, §§ 6-13, 24, 36; Code 1933, § 34-608; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1023, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 1035, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 955, § 2; Ga. L. 1979, p. 962, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 1080, § 1; Ga. L. 1980, p. 1256, §§ 1, 6; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1238, §§ 4-6; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1718, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1981, p. 1798, §§ 1-3; Code 1981, §§ 21-2-210 - 21-246; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 21; Ga. L. 1982, p. 442, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 688, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 850, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1292, §§ 3-7; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1512, § 5; Ga. L. 1982, p. 2107, §§ 21-23; Ga. L. 1983, p. 140, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1983, p. 786, § 2; Ga. L. 1983, p. 930, §§ 5, 6; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1, §§ 2-5; Ga. L. 1984, p. 133, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 635, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 677, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 694, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 922, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1372, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1430, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1490, §§ 1, 2; Code 1981, § 21-2-232.1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 206, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 496, §§ 7-12; Code 1981, § 21-2-232.2; Ga. L. 1985, p. 632, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1236, § 1; Ga. L. 1985, p. 1318, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1986, p. 32, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 382, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1986, p. 772, § 2; Ga. L. 1986, p. 932, §§ 1-4; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1028, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 351, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 417, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1360, § 12; Ga. L. 1988, p. 639, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 647, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 752, §§ 1-5; Ga. L. 1988, p. 926, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 928, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 10, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 659, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 661, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 662, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 849, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1082, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 143, §§ 1, 1A, 2; Ga. L. 1990, p. 243, §§ 5, 6; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1238, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1282, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 133, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 56, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1060, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1231, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1815, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2048, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2051, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2345, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 118, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 617, §§ 6, 7; Ga. L. 1994, p. 237, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1406, §§ 10-18.
Ga. L. 1994, p. 1443, § 28, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval [April 15, 1994] for the purpose of authorizing the Secretary of State to design and distribute such forms and materials and to develop, procure, and install such computer hardware and software as are required under the provisions of this Act and to exercise such administrative authority as such officer deems necessary and proper for the implementation of this Act. For all other purposes, this Act shall become effective January 1, 1995."
JUDICIAL DECISIONS
EDITOR'S NOTES. --In light of the similarity of the provisions, decisions under former Code 1933, Chapter 34-6 and § 34-115 are included in the annotations for this article.
PURPOSE OF REGISTRATION STATUTES. --Registration statutes have for their purpose the regulation of the exercise of the right of suffrage, not to qualify or restrict the right to vote. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
Registration laws are the means or machinery under which proofs are furnished showing the existence of the voter's qualifications. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
REGISTRATION LAWS MUST BE IMPARTIAL, uniform, and reasonable, giving to all a fair and reasonable opportunity to exercise such right. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
LIMITATION ON LEGISLATURE'S POWER TO DETERMINE VOTER QUALIFICATIONS. --The legislature, even in the absence of express constitutional power, can provide for the registration of voters; but where the state Constitution provides who shall be entitled to vote, the legislature cannot take from or add to the qualifications unless the power is granted expressly or by necessary implication. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
The legislature has wide latitude in determining how the qualifications required by the Constitution may be determined, provided it does not deny the right of franchise by making the exercise of such right so difficult or inconvenient as to amount to a denial of the right to vote. Franklin v. Harper, 205 Ga. 779, 55 S.E.2d 221 (1949), appeal dismissed, 339 U.S. 946, 70 S. Ct. 804, 94 L. Ed. 1361 (1950) (decided under former Code 1933, § 34-115).
CITED in NAACP v. Georgia, 494 F. Supp. 668 (N.D. Ga. 1980).
OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
FOR GENERAL DISCUSSION OF POWERS AND DUTIES OF COUNTY BOARDS OF REGISTRARS AND CHIEF REGISTRARS, see 1982 Op. Att'y Gen. No. U82-12.
RESEARCH REFERENCES
ALR. --Constitutionality of statutes in relation to registration before voting at election or primary, 91 ALR 349.