Time running out to register to vote

GAINESVILLE - Time is running out if you are not registered to vote and are planning to vote in the July 31 Georgia General Election primaries. That's when people statewide will also be voting on the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation (T-SPLOST) and several non-binding "questions" which will appear on the Democratic and Republican ballots.

The voter registration deadline, statewide, is Monday, July 2. Check with your local county elections office to determine how late you can sign up on Monday.

Not just anyone is eligible to register and vote in Georgia.

To register you must be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you wish to vote and at least 17 1/2 years of age.

You may not register if you are sserving any sentence "imposed by the conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude" or if you have been "judicially determined to be mentally incompetent."

If you are registering for the first time in Georgia, and you register by mail, you are required to provide ID by one of the following ways:

*Mail a copy of the identification with your voter registration application

*Provide a copy of the identification to the registrar before or at the time you cast a ballot

The following types of identification are acceptable:

*Valid Georgia driver's license
*Valid photo ID card issued by any entity of the State of Georgia, any other state, or the United States
*Valid U.S. passport
*A government employee photo ID
*Valid U.S. military ID card with photo
*Valid Tribal ID with photo
*Current utility bill showing name and address*
*Valid government check or paycheck showing name and address*
*Valid government document showing name and address*
*Current bank statement*

The identifications marked with an asterisk (*) may only be used one time by a first-time registered voter. Voting in person after that requires photo identification. Those who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot, under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, are exempt from this requirement.

The Georgia Secretary of State's office says bank statements are kept private and are not available for public inspection.

You can read more about registering and check your registration status by clicking on the link below.