Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says Georgia’s absentee ballot deadlines will remain unchanged following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows states to decide whether to count absentee ballots received after Election Day.
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that federal law does not require states to reject absentee ballots that arrive after Election Day if they were mailed on time. Instead, the Court said states may establish their own deadlines for receiving mailed ballots.
In Georgia, absentee ballots must generally be received by county election officials by the close of polls on Election Day to be counted. The only exception is for military and overseas voters, whose ballots may be accepted up to three days after Election Day if they are postmarked by Election Day.
“Public trust is the ultimate standard in elections,” Raffensperger said. “That trust requires a clear and certain finality to the election that only a deadline can provide.”
Raffensperger said Georgia will continue to enforce its current absentee ballot deadlines and emphasized the state’s election security measures, including citizenship verification efforts, post-election risk-limiting audits, and voter roll maintenance.
The Secretary of State’s Office says Georgia’s current election laws remain in effect as preparations continue for the November elections.