Section 21-2-401. Delivery of forms and supplies to precincts; distribution of copy of certified electors list; contents of list; authentication; return receipts; master list of county or municipal electors; items to be provided at polling place

   (a) The cards of instruction, return sheets, tally sheets, oaths of poll officers, affidavits, and other forms and supplies required for use in each precinct, and, in precincts in which ballots are used, the official ballots prepared for use therein shall be packed by the superintendent in separate sealed packages for each precinct, marked on the outside so as to designate clearly the precincts for which they are intended and, in the case of precincts in which ballots are used, the number of ballots enclosed. They shall then be delivered by the superintendent, together with the ballot box which shall bear the designation of the precinct, to the managers in the several precincts prior to the hour appointed for opening the polls. In primaries, the parties shall decide whether to use the same ballot box or to use separate ballot boxes. The managers of the respective precincts shall, on delivery to them of such packages, return receipts therefor to the superintendent, who shall keep a record of the time when and the manner in which the several packages are delivered. The superintendent may, in the superintendent's discretion, require the managers of the respective precincts to call at the superintendent's office to obtain such packages.

(b) The registrars shall, prior to the hour appointed for opening the polls, place in the possession of the managers in each precinct one copy of the certified electors list for such precinct, such list to contain all the information required by law. The list shall indicate the name of any elector who has been mailed or delivered an absentee ballot. The list for a given precinct may be divided into as many alphabetical sections as is deemed necessary. Such list of electors shall be authenticated by the signatures of at least two of the registrars. In a municipal primary, where the parties do not agree to have only one set of managers for a precinct, the electors list shall be delivered to the chief manager of the political party which polled the highest number of votes in the precinct in the immediately preceding election of the presiding officer of the governing authority. In addition, the registrars shall at the same time place in the possession of the managers in each precinct one copy of the list of inactive electors for such precinct. The managers of the respective precincts shall, on delivery to them of such electors lists, return receipts therefor to the registrars, who shall keep a record of the time when and the manner in which the electors lists are delivered. The registrars may, in their discretion, require the managers of the respective precincts to call at their office to obtain such lists.

(c) The registrars may, in their discretion, place a master list containing the names and proper voting precincts of all electors and all inactive electors of the county or municipality at some or all of the polling places located in the county or municipality on the day of each election for use by the poll workers to assist electors in locating their proper precinct.

(d) The superintendent shall provide at the polling place copies of the sample or facsimile ballots for such primary or election as well as a list of the certified write-in candidates for such election in the form as provided by the Secretary of State or appropriate municipal official pursuant to Code Section 21-2-133.

Ga. L. 1894, p. 115, § 9; Civil Code 1895, § 59; Civil Code 1910, § 67; Ga. L. 1922, p. 97, § 5; Code 1933, §§ 34-701, 34-1906; Ga. L. 1946, p. 75, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1949, p. 1204, § 38; Ga. L. 1958, p. 269, § 32; Code 1933, § 34-1303, enacted by Ga. L. 1964, Ex. Sess., p. 26, § 1; Ga. L. 1969, p. 308, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1970, p. 347, § 22; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1512, § 5; Ga. L. 1987, p. 417, § 7; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1443, § 5; Ga. L. 1998, p. 295, § 1; Ga. L. 2011, p. 683, § 16/SB 82.