ATLANTA — Election season is just around the corner, and Georgia voters have the important responsibility of electing local, statewide and national representatives. 

Georgia will play a key part in the 2024 presidential election as an essential battleground state, meaning voting is more important than ever. 

While many people will line up at the polls, some people are opting to vote by mail via an absentee ballot. Before you can cast your vote by mail, you must request your ballot by the deadline.

Here's all you need to know about requesting an absentee ballot for the upcoming elections.

Some important dates to remember

• Presidential Primary & Special Election - March 12, 2024 
• Special Election Runoff - April 9, 2024 
• Primary Election - May 21, 2024 
• Primary Election Runoff - June 18, 2024 
• General Election - Nov. 5, 2024 
• General Election Runoff - Dec. 3, 2024

When can I request an absentee ballot?

• Now - March 1: Voters can request an absentee ballot for the Presidential Preference Primary election. 
• Jan. 22: This is the first-day voters can request an absentee ballot for the special election runoff 
• March 4: Voters can begin requesting an absentee ballot for the Georgia primary election. 
• April 1: This is the first-day voters can request an absentee ballot for the Georgia primary runoff 
• Aug. 19: This is the first day that voters can request an absentee ballot for the general election in Georgia. 
• Sept. 16: This is the first-day voters can request an absentee ballot for the general election runoff in December. 

All mail-in ballots must be received by the time polls close on their respective election day. 

How to request an absentee ballot

Ballots must be submitted by the deadline and can be requested online, by email, mail, fax, or in person. Requests can be made between 78 and 11 days before Election Day. Here are all the ways to request a ballot from the state, according to its website.

Submit online

1. Visit the Secretary of State's online portal for absentee ballot requests.
2. Follow the portal prompts to request your ballot online.
3. Once you have submitted your information, you should receive an email confirmation.

Submit by email, mail or fax 

1. Download and print the absentee ballot application.
2. Fill out and sign the application.
3. Email, mail or fax the application to your County Board of Registrar’s Office.

Submit in person

Once the request is approved, residents will receive their absentee ballot in the mail at the address listed on the application. 

Fill out, sign the ballot and follow any instructions provided. Voters can return their ballot by mail, hand-delivered to the county registrar or put it in their county's drop box. 

Then, mail it in with enough time to arrive by Election Day. Ballots that are not filled correctly may not be counted. If dropped off in Dropbox, it must be the same county listed on the ballot.

Verify that the ballot was accepted on the Georgia My Voter Page by logging in and looking for “Absentee Ballot Request Information.” Georgia voters can also track their absentee ballots through BallotTrax. The online tracking tool allows voters to monitor the status of their absentee ballots through the United States Postal Service.  

The county elections office will contact the resident to fix the ballot for rejected ballots. 

Contact your county's registrar if the ballot does not show up after requesting it. Another ballot will be sent if there's enough time. 

If one cannot be sent for any reason, residents can vote in person but must sign a document stating that they only voted once. People who turned in their absentee ballot cannot turn around and vote in person.