September 17 marks National Voter Registration Day and Constitution Day – celebratory days of our democracy and civic engagement. 

National Voter Registration Day is an annual nonpartisan civic holiday that encourages citizens to register to vote, according to the National Voter Registration Day organization. While Constitution Day is the anniversary of the signing of the  U.S. Constitution in 1787. You can celebrate these holidays by learning how to register and understanding how your voice is heard in the upcoming election. 

Georgia Voter Need-to-Knows:

Am I eligible to vote?

According to Georgia.gov, to be eligible to vote in the state you must

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be a legal resident of the county
• Be at least 17 1/2 years of age to register and 18 years of age to vote
• Not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude
• Have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge 

How do I register to vote?

• Visit the Secretary of State’s website and submit a voter registration application to register online.
• You must have a valid driver’s license or identification card from the Georgia Department of Driver Services to register online.

What do I do once I’m registered? 

• Your Georgia My Voter Page will become your best friend. Visit the page at https://mvp.sos.ga.gov. 
• You can check the status of your registration, where your polling location is, early voting locations, view your elected officials, fill out an absentee ballot form and more. 

How do I vote with an absentee ballot? 

• Absentee ballots allow registered voters to submit their vote without attending a polling location. You do not need an excuse to vote by absentee ballot, but you must request it online before you’re able to vote. 
• Use your My Voter Page to fill out the application or download the application to submit in person at https://georgia.gov/vote-absentee-ballot. 
• Once your application is received, you will receive your ballot in the mail. Fill out and sign your absentee ballot according to the instructions provide

Upcoming deadlines

• Oct. 7 – The last day to register to vote
• Oct. 15 – Early Voting Opens
• Oct. 25 – The last day to request an absentee ballot  
• Nov. 5 – Election Day

You can also visit https://www.georgiasouthern.edu/students/eaglesvote/ for additional information on voting as a GS student.

Celebrate  National Voter Registration Day on Georgia Southern’s Campus

Join Dr. Brett Curry, Dr. Patrick Novotny and Dr. Maureen Stobb for a panel discussion on “Your Voting Rights and Responsibilities Under the US Constitution” to celebrate the day with free pizza and popsicles. 

The event is open to all students and will be held at the Russell Union Theatre from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Sept. 17.