SOS suspends Advance voting and postpones Presidential Preference Primary

Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has announced the suspension of early voting for the Presidential Preference Primary and the postponement of the election originally scheduled for March 24.

According to Raffensperger the decision came in light of the public health emergency posed by COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, in-person voting presents increased risk to voters and poll workers.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared a public health emergency; while President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency.

Raffensperger says “events are moving rapidly and my highest priority is protecting the health of our poll workers, their families, and the community at-large.”

The Presidential Preference Primary Election will now be held on May 19.

Raffensperger says Georgians who have already cast their vote in person or by mail for the March 24 primary will be able to vote again in the May 19 primary for the elections already scheduled for that date.

If Georgians who have already cast their vote for the March 24 primary do not vote again in the May 19 primary, their votes for the Presidential Preference Primary will still count.

Raffensperger says all votes already cast in person and all absentee ballots will be counted and every Georgia voter that has not yet had a chance to cast a ballot in the March 24 elections will be able to do so on May 19, along with the elections already scheduled for that date.

For questions regarding Raffensperger’s decision suspending early voting and postponing the Presidential Preference Primary election contact Stephens County Registrar Eureka Gober by calling 706-886-8954.