Georgia voters are now able to track their absentee ballots with text message, email and phone notifications through a new feature on the state’s voter registration website.
The service will alert voters when their absentee ballots are issued and returned to election offices, letting them know whether their ballot has been received in time to be counted by 7 p.m. the day of the election.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the notifications will help mitigate concerns about slow mail delivery by the U.S. Postal Service.
“We’re doing everything we can to protect your vote,” Raffensperger said. “Georgians, take advantage of ballot tracking if you choose to vote by mail.”
The new ballot tracking notification service, called Ballot Scout, replaces BallotTrax, a website available to voters during the 2020 and 2022 elections.
Credit: Mark Niesse
Credit: Mark Niesse
The primary change with the new service is that it’s integrated in the state’s My Voter Page, which also provides voter registration information, sample ballots and voting locations.
The tool is a product of Democracy Works, a nonprofit election technology organization, and it’s operated by Enhanced Voting, a company that will handle election night results reporting and an audit of the results.
Voters can sign up for ballot tracking notifications by visiting the My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov, scrolling to the absentee voting section and then selecting which notifications they’d like to receive.
Georgians are able to request absentee ballots through the My Voter Page, but they won’t begin to be mailed until Oct. 7.
The State Election Board voted down a proposal last week that would have required more detailed tracking as ballots moved through the Postal Service, citing concerns about potential costs to taxpayers.
How to vote absentee
Georgia voters can request absentee ballots, check their registrations and view sample ballots through the state’s My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov.
Absentee ballot application forms must be printed and signed by voters, then returned through the My Voter Page, by email or postal mail. Absentee ballots will begin to be mailed to voters Oct. 7, which is also Georgia’s voter registration deadline.
About the Author
