New voter registration for the January 5, 2020 runoff election concluded on December 7, 2020. We have continued making students and those we encounter aware of the deadlines and opportunities for absentee and early voting in Georgia, as well as the cutoff dates for receipt of their mail-in or drop box absentee ballots.
- ONVR will continue to register new voters again in 2021, most likely with a broader geographic scope.
- While meeting several thousand potential first time and newly registered voters where they are, ONVR volunteers gained significant insights into the voter registration process, online as well as via mail-in forms, and including proof of residency documentation. As a result, ONVR will be making recommendations to streamline these processes to enhance registration accessibility, including:
- Creating a process like Motor Voter registration through the Georgia Division of Driver Services (DDS), which makes registration automatic without opting out for high school students as they turn 18. For economic and other reasons an increasing percentage of young adults are not seeking a driver’s license.
- Simplify and improve existing SOS Voter Registration website to make use more intuitive. Consider developing phone app for registration.
- Upgrade SOS registration website to include the capability to upload images thereby eliminating the need to mail in proof of residency and required voter identification documents. The actual Voter Registration form could be completed online as well.
