Frequently Asked Questions
Voter Registration
To vote in DeKalb County, you must be a U.S. citizen, a legal resident of the county, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. You must not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction, and you must not have been found mentally incompetent by a court.
Online: Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page
Mail: DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Dr, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032
In person: DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Dr, Suite 300 Decatur, GA 30032
You can also visit the DeKalb County Voter Registrations & Elections office or other locations like public libraries or the Department of Driver Services. To register, you must:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be a resident of the county
- Be at least 17 1/2 years old (18 to vote)
- Not be serving a sentence for a felony involving moral turpitude
- Not have been found mentally incompetent by a judge.
The voter registration deadline is five Mondays prior to an election. (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-224). Deadlines can be found here.
You can check your voter registration status by visiting the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page or by contacting DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections at (404) 298-4020.
There are several types of confirmation notices that the state mails out to help maintain the voter rolls.
In some cases, you may receive a confirmation notice informing you that you have not contacted our office in the last five years; or, it may say that the state has received information that may indicate that you have left the county. If you still live in DeKalb County, you should return the notice or update your registration information on the Georgia My Voter Page. If you do not, your registration will be moved to Inactive status. You can still vote while you are Inactive. If you are made Inactive, we recommend that you return your record to Active status by voting or by updating your information on the Georgia My Voter Page.
Another type of notice you may receive will inform you that your record has been Inactive for two consecutive General Elections (about four years) and that your registration is about to be cancelled. If you receive this type of notice and you still live in DeKalb County, it is urgent that you return the confirmation notice to our office or update your information at the Georgia My Voter Page so that you can continue to vote.
At any time, if you have moved out of state, you can let us know to cancel your registration through https://cancelmyregistration.sos.ga.gov/s/.
If your voter registration status is listed as inactive, it generally means that DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections has not been able to confirm your address or that you haven’t voted in a certain number of elections. However, you are still eligible to vote.
Here’s what you can do:
- Check your registration: Visit Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page to check your status and ensure your information is correct.
- Update your information: update your registration by visiting the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page or by submitting a voter registration form to:
DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Dr, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032 - Vote: you can still vote if you’re listed as inactive. Once you vote, your status will be returned to active.
- Contact DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections: Call (404) 298-4020 for more specific guidance and what steps to take to restore your active status.
Georgia law requires valid photo identification when voting, either in person or absentee. It’s a way to ensure it’s you casting your ballot and not someone who isn’t eligible to vote. Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services or a Voter ID Card issued by DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections.
- A Georgia driver's license, even if expired
- Student ID from a Georgia public College or University
- Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
- Valid U.S. passport ID
- Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid employee photo ID
Bring one of these seven forms of identification to vote in person.
If you do not have valid identification for the purpose of voting, you may apply for a Georgia Voter ID Card. You must be an active registered voter in DeKalb County to qualify for a Georgia Voter ID Card. Visit DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections office to obtain a Voter ID Card.
DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Dr, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032
If you move within DeKalb County, you must notify DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections 30 days before an election to vote at your new polling place. If you move outside the county, you need to register in your new county of residence.
A Voter Precinct card will be mailed to you from DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections 3 - 4 weeks after you register.
You can complete your voter registration online at the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page or download the Voter Registration Form. You can also visit DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections to request a Voter Registration Form.
DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Dr, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032
You will only receive a precinct card when you register to vote for the first time or change your name or address. Please visit Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page to print a copy of your precinct card or email yourself a copy.
Yes, college students who meet the generally applicable registration requirements may register to vote in the county where the student attends college. As a student, your home of record could affect scholarship eligibility and financial aid. Before changing your registration to the Georgia county where you attend college, make sure it does not conflict with any financial aid or scholarships you may receive from an out-of-state address.
Please contact DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections at (404) 298-4020 for help to verify your address change.
Before heading to the poll, you should check your voter registration status by visiting the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page or call the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections at (404) 298-4020. If you are at the poll, ask for a provisional ballot that will allow you to cast your ballot.
The voter registration deadline is five Mondays prior to an election (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-224).
Absentee Voting
You may only use the official application to request an absentee ballot. You can download the application to request an absentee ballot or submit the application online. Please read the application carefully. You are required to provide either a Georgia Driver's License, Georgia ID Card number or a copy of another valid form of ID. If you do not have a valid ID, you can get one free of charge from DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections or the Department of Driver Services. Click here for more information about Georgia's ID requirements.
Return your absentee ballot application by:
- Email: absenteeballot@dekalbcountyga.gov
- Fax: (404) 298-4038
- Mail: Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032-1239 - Drop Box: Drop boxes are open during advance voting hours
Absentee ballots must be received by the county by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
No. Absentee ballots are mailed and cannot be picked up in accordance with O.C.G.A. 21-2-384 (2).
Absentee ballots may be returned by:
- Voter personally
- Individuals residing in voter’s household
- Voter’s family member
- Disabled voter’s caregiver
- Employee of jail where elector is in custody
In person or by mail to:
Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032-1239
To a drop box (open during advance voting hours)
If you are elderly (65 or older) or disabled, you may choose to receive a ballot for every election in the year by checking the “opt-in” box on line 12 of the application. However, this option is not available for Special Elections. O.C.G.A. 21-2-381(a)(1)(G)
Georgia law requires valid photo identification when voting, either in person or absentee. It’s a way to ensure it’s you casting your ballot and not someone who isn’t eligible to vote. Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services or a Voter ID Card issued by DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections.
- A Georgia driver's license, even if expired
- Student ID from a Georgia public College or University
- Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
- Valid U.S. passport ID
- Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid employee photo ID
Bring one of these seven forms of identification to vote in person.
Complete an application to receive an absentee ballot. You can fill out the application online, email a scan or photograph to absenteeballot@dekalbcountyga.gov, or mail or hand deliver it to:
DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032
(Be sure to sign with a pen. Electronic signatures are not allowed in Georgia).
When you receive your ballot, follow the instructions provided to complete it. Return it at an official Drop box (open during advance voting hours), by mail, or in-person at:
DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032
The application does require that you are a registered voter in DeKalb County. The address as registered must be listed on the application. The application does require your signature. Instructions on how to complete the absentee ballot application is posted on DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections website. The ballot must be submitted by 7 p.m. on Election Day for regular elections and 8 p.m. in the City of Atlanta when there is a candidate on the ballot for City of Atlanta elections.
There are several reasons why you might not have received your absentee ballot. If you have not received a ballot, contact DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections at (404) 298-4020.
To vote by absentee ballot, an absentee ballot application must be completed and returned the application by fax, email, or mail:
- Email: absenteeballot@dekalbcountyga.gov
- Fax: (404) 298-4038
- Mail: Voter Registration & Elections
4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300
Decatur, GA 30032-1239
Please check with the university regarding residency to find out if voting absentee would affect financial aid or scholarship eligibility.
Polling Locations
You can find your assigned polling location by visiting the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page or by contacting DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections at (404) 298-4020. Polling locations will also be listed on your Voter Precinct Card.
Polling locations are changed for various reasons: polling place no longer willing to host polling operations, polling place undergoing renovations, voter complaints due to parking and other issues, boundary line changes, etc. Registered voters will be notified by Precinct Card of all polling place changes prior to an election.
Yes, maps are available: Election Polling Places.
Click on one of the following links to find your district:
During Advance Voting, you may vote at any Advance Voting location within the County. On Election Day, you are required to vote at your assigned precinct. However, if you arrive at the wrong precinct after 5:00 p.m. and before the regular time that the poll closes on Election Day, you may cast your vote with a provisional ballot.
Election Day
Yes, DeKalb County offers Advance Voting starting 3 weeks before Election Day. Visit Advance Voting | DeKalb County GA or contact DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections at (404) 298-4020 for Advance Voting locations and hours.
Advance Voting hours and locations may vary for each election, but typically run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on select Saturdays, and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on select Sundays. Visit Advance Voting | DeKalb County GA closer to Election Day for specific Advance Voting locations and hours.
Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by 7 p.m., you will still be allowed to vote. When there is a candidate on the ballot for City of Atlanta elections, polling places within the City of Atlanta closes at 8 p.m.
Voters who require assistance due to age, disability, or inability to read may bring someone to assist them or request help from poll workers.
Yes. Voters who require assistance to vote due to blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may receive assistance by a person of the voter’s choice except for the voter’s employer, an agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of the voter’s union.
- The voter registration deadline is five Mondays prior to an election (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-224)
- Absentee ballot request deadline: at least 11 days before the election
- Advance Voting period: begins approximately three weeks before Election Day
- Deadlines can be found here.
College Student IDs are ONLY acceptable if it is a state-funded school. Student IDs from private universities, community colleges or online universities are unacceptable.
State law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-404) provides that: each employee in the state, shall upon reasonable notice to his or her employer, be permitted by his or her employer to take any necessary time off from his or her employment to vote in any municipal, county, state, or federal political party primary or election for which such employee is qualified and registered to vote on the day on which such primary or election is held. Time off shall not exceed two hours.
No. Cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited inside of the polling place. Sample ballots are posted for viewing inside the poll.
Yes, children are welcome at the polls.
Georgia law requires valid photo identification when voting. It’s a way to ensure it’s you casting your ballot and not someone who isn’t eligible to vote. Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services or a free Voter ID Card issued by DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections.
- A Georgia driver's license, even if expired
- Student ID from a Georgia public College or University
- Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state
- Valid U.S. passport ID
- Valid U.S. military photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter
- Valid employee photo ID Bring one of these seven forms of identification to vote in person.
We strongly recommend you take advantage of Advance Voting since there are several locations and times including weekend voting to cast your ballot. If you prefer to wait until Election Day, keep in mind that other residents choose this option, so please be prepared to wait in line.
Election results can be viewed here.
Poll Worker & Voter Education
Poll official positions are filled on an as-needed basis from the potential poll official list that is maintained by DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections. To apply to become a poll worker, complete the online poll official application here.
Poll Workers must be:
• An upright citizen of the United States
• A resident of or employed by DeKalb County
• 16 years of age or older
• Able to read, write, speak and understand the English language
• Not be a candidate for office or a relative of a candidate for office in the assigned poll
• Not hold a public office
• Able to meet the performance and training requirements as outlined by O.C.G.A 21-2-90
By law, all W-2 forms must be mailed by January 31st. Only poll workers earning $600 or more will receive a W-2. If you meet this criteria, please contact DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections at (404) 298-4020 to inquire.
Please complete the online Outreach Request Form or the printable Outreach Request Form. Submit your request at least two weeks prior to the date of the event. Requests will be considered based upon availability and other commitments
Deputy registrar training classes are held at the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections office and virtually via Zoom. Please complete the Deputy Registrar Training Request Form to schedule your deputy registrar training.
General Questions
Anyone currently serving a sentence for a felony conviction (including probation and parole) cannot vote. Individuals with felony convictions can vote once they have completed their sentence, including parole and probation. Once the sentence is completed, the individual should complete a voter registration application. It is not necessary to apply for the restoration of civil rights in order to vote.
In State of Georgia elections, the Dominion system maintains various tabulations, including the number of voters who cast ballots and the number of cards on which their ballot is printed. In some elections, some counties, including DeKalb, have a two-card ballot. Most voters who voted by mail receive their ballot on two pieces of paper (cards). Additionally, DeKalb voters who print their ballot on a touchscreen are listed with two ballots if their corresponding absentee ballot would have had two cards. This feature of the Dominion system only affects the display of summary statistics, not the tabulation of votes for candidates.
If you encounter any issues while voting, contact the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections office (404) 298-4020.
The Secretary of State’s office can be reached at 404-656-2871.
To view your sample ballot, please visit Current Election Information.
Archived election results can be found by visiting the election results page.
Click the following link to find your representative:
