How, when, where to vote early or absentee in the Augusta area, and what to bring, too

Staff Reports
·4 min read

Georgia voters can start going to the polls for the May 24 nonpartisan and primary elections this week.

In Richmond, Columbia and Burke counties, early in-person voting started at 9 a.m. Monday, May 2, and ends Friday, May 20. This year, Richmond and Columbia counties will have two days of Saturday voting. Next week the Richmond County Board of Elections will consider whether to include Sundays on its early voting schedule for November.

Early voting requires voters to vote at select locations around the county. The ballot has the same candidates and races as they'd see in their own precinct on primary day.

Voter Katelynn Gibbons of Hephzibah showed off her 'I'm a Georgia Voter' sticker outside the Robert Howard Community Center polling place in Hephzibah during the January 2021 Senate runoff.
Voter Katelynn Gibbons of Hephzibah showed off her 'I'm a Georgia Voter' sticker outside the Robert Howard Community Center polling place in Hephzibah during the January 2021 Senate runoff.

Where is early voting in Richmond and Columbia counties?

In Richmond County early voting takes place at the Municipal Building all month. Other locations are added for Saturday, May 14. Sunday voting will not be available in either county.

Monday through Friday, May 2-13

  • Beazley Room in the Municipal Building, 535 Telfair St., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 7

  • Beazley Room in the Municipal Building, 535 Telfair St., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 14

  • Henry Brigham Community Center, 2463 Golden Camp Road, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Robert Howard Community Center, 103 Diamond Lakes Way, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Warren Road Community Center, 300 Warren Road, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday, May 16-20

  • Beazley Room in the Municipal Building, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Henry Brigham Community Center, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Robert Howard Community Center, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  • Warren Road Community Center, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A line of voters waits at a Savannah polling location during the 2020 election. Georgia voters can start going to the polls for the May 24 nonpartisan and primary elections this week.
A line of voters waits at a Savannah polling location during the 2020 election. Georgia voters can start going to the polls for the May 24 nonpartisan and primary elections this week.

In Columbia County, early voting will be held at two locations throughout the month.

Monday through Friday, May 2-20

  • Evans Government Complex building G3, 610 Ronald Reagan Drive, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Euchee Creek Library, 5907 Euchee Creek Drive, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 7 and 14

  • Evans Government Complex building G3, 610 Ronald Reagan Drive, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • Euchee Creek Library, 5907 Euchee Creek Drive, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Georgia House District 132: Primary to decide race between two democratic candidates

Can I still request an absentee ballot?

Absentee ballots are available by request through May 13. Mail-out of absentee ballots began on April 25. Requesting an absentee ballot requires a driver's license number, a state ID number, or a photocopy of alternate voter ID.

Alternate voter identification includes

  • U.S. military identification card

  • Employee identification card issued by any branch of the United States government, or Georgia state, county or local government

  • Georgia voter identification card

  • United States passport

  • Tribal identification card

  • Current utility bill

  • Paycheck

  • Bank statement

  • Other government document

  • Government check

How to: Vote absentee in the May 24 Georgia elections under new state law

How to return an absentee ballot

Absentee ballots can be returned up until 7 p.m. on primary day, May 24, and can be submitted via mail, email or in person. If the ballot is submitted in person, it must be submitted by someone living at the same address as the voter, an immediate relative, or a caretaker of a voter with disabilities.

  • By mail in Richmond County: 535 Telfair St., Suite 500, Augusta, GA 30901

  • By mail in Columbia County: P.O. Box 919, Evans, GA 30809

Both counties allow voters to scan and submit their absentee ballot via email.

Absentee voters must now include their state-issued ID number with their ballots. Not including the ID number in addition to the photo of the ID may disqualify the ballot.

Drop boxes

SB 202, the voting reform law passed in 2021, officially codified absentee ballot drop boxes. The measure also limits the number of boxes to one per 100,000 registered voters or one per early voting site, whichever number is smaller.

Richmond County will have one dropbox located inside the Beazley Room of the Municipal Building. Columbia County will not have a dropbox available.

On primary day , May 24, 2022, all regular and established precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters casting ballots on primary day have to use their assigned precinct.

To locate your precinct, print out a sample ballot or track your ballot, go to https://mvp.sos.ga.gov

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta, Columbia County, Georgia early voting: Here's what to know