Copyright 2023 by Forsyth County, Georgia

Elections & Voting

2023 Elections Calendar

Registration Deadlines and In-Person Advance Voting Dates

Registration Deadlines and In-Person Advance Voting Dates - 2023 Elections Cycle

NOTE: As of August 17, 2023, there are no countywide elections called in Forsyth County for any of the dates below.
On November 7, 2023, the City of Cumming Municipal General Election will be held for three city council seats. Only voters who reside in the city limits of Cumming who are registered to vote by the October 10, 2023 voter registration deadline are eligible to vote in this election. The City of Cumming is in the center of Forsyth County and includes approximately 4,000 registered voters.

The dates below are placeholders set by Georgia Election Code.


Absentee Voting by Mail Dates

NOTE: As of August 17, 2023, there are no countywide elections called in Forsyth County for any of the dates below.
On November 7, 2023, the City of Cumming Municipal General Election will be held for three city council seats. Only voters who reside in the city limits of Cumming who are registered to vote by the October 10, 2023 voter registration deadline are eligible to vote in this election. The City of Cumming is in the center of Forsyth County and includes approximately 4,000 registered voters.

The dates below are placeholders set by Georgia Election Code.


Comprehensive Election Cycle Calendar Posted by the Secretary of State with Applicable Election Code Sections

Qualified Candidates

Qualified candidate information for future elections will be posted when available.

Absentee Vote by Mail: Absentee Ballot Applications

Completing and submitting an Application for Official Absentee Ballot

To request an absentee ballot by mail, a voter is required to complete an “Application for Georgia Official Absentee Ballot.” Voters may access and print an application online. Voters may also contact our office to have an absentee ballot application sent to them for completion.  

Please follow the directions and complete the application accordingly. Incomplete applications may not be accepted if required information is missing or incorrect. For example, you must include your date of birth; it is not optional. Call the office if you have any questions. It is highly recommended that you include contact information.

How early may you submit your completed absentee ballot application?

You may request an absentee ballot no more than 78 days prior to an election. By law, requests received more than 78 days prior to an election will be rejected. 

What is the last day you may submit your completed absentee ballot application?

An absentee ballot application must be received by our office by the close of business 11 days prior to Election Day in order to be processed and a ballot mailed.

Who can return your completed absentee ballot application?

Per the Application for Georgia Official Absentee Ballot: No person or entity other than the elector, a relative authorized to request an absentee ballot for such elector, a person signing as assisting an illiterate or physically disabled elector with his or her application, a common carrier charged with returning the ballot application, an absentee ballot clerk, a registrar, or a law enforcement officer in the course of an investigation shall handle or return an elector’s completed absentee ballot application. Handling a completed absentee ballot application by any person or entity other than as allowed in this paragraph is a misdemeanor.

Special provisions for elderly / disabled voters requesting and submitting an Application for Official Absentee Ballot?

If you are a voter age 65 or older and/or a voter with a physical disability you may choose to submit one application and receive a ballot for the General Primary, General Primary Runoff, General Election, and General Runoff. You must check the two appropriate boxes on the Application for Georgia Official Absentee Ballot which indicates you opt in to receive an Absentee Ballot for the rest of the election cycle and denotes the applicable reason code(s) for your request. This is Section 12 on the Application.  NOTE: Voters desiring to vote by mail must submit a separate application for any Special Election.

Special provisions for military and overseas voters requesting and submitting an Application for Official Absentee Ballot?

Absentee Vote by Mail: Returning Your Voted Absentee Ballot

Where/how to return your voted absentee ballot, deadline for doing so

Voted absentee ballots may be returned to our office by mail (be sure to use sufficient postage if mailing), by personal delivery to the Elections Office or deposited into the Official Absentee Ballot Drop Box by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted (please see chart below). There are special provisions for voters in the military and voters living overseas; click here for more details.

 

The latest day and time a voter can return their voted ballot in order to be accepted is Election Day in our office before the polls close at 7 p.m. The postmark date does NOT count. There are special provisions for voters in the military and/or living overseas; contact our office for details.

Who can return your voted absentee ballot?

Your ballot can only be mailed or delivered to the Elections Office by yourself or your mother, father, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, spouse, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or an individual living in your same household.

When will your voted absentee ballot be opened?

On Election Day. All absentee ballots remain sealed and under lock and key until the absentee ballot opening process starts. Ballot results are not tabulated until Election Day. Following Georgia Election Code, all absentee ballots submitted and accepted are counted in the final totals for every election.

Absentee Vote by Mail: More Information

What is an absentee voter?

Per Georgia Election Code 21-2-380 (a) the term 'absentee elector' means an elector of this state who casts a ballot in a primary, election or runoff other than in person at the polls on Election Day. All this means is that any voter who votes in person during Advance Voting or who requests their ballot be mailed to them is classified as an 'absentee voter.' They are 'absent' from their polling place on Election Day and there is no reason required to request a ballot be mailed to the voter.

ID requirements

Eligible voters desiring to vote by mail may do so without providing a reason or identification. However, voters who registered for the first time in Georgia by mail and did not provide identification with their registration, will be required to provide, at the time of voting, one of the six acceptable forms of Photo ID (Georgia driver's license, valid ID card by any state or U.S. with photo, valid U.S. passport, valid government employee photo ID, valid U.S. military ID card with photo or valid tribal ID card with photo) or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other governmental document that shows the name and address of the voter. Those voters not having the proper form of identification will be offered a Provisional Ballot.

For more information

For more information about Absentee Voting by Mail please visit the Georgia Secretary of State's website.

Voting in Person

What is on the ballot?

Sample ballots for future elections will be posted when available.

ID requirements

In Georgia, voters are required to present photo identification at their polling place prior to casting their ballot. Proper identification shall consist of any one of the following:

  • Georgia driver's license
  • Valid ID card by any state or U.S. with photo
  • Valid U.S. passport
  • Valid government employee photo ID
  • Valid U.S. military ID card with photo
  • Valid tribal ID card with photo

If you do not have one of the above forms of photo identification, you are eligible to receive a free Georgia ID card for Voting Purposes ONLY. The free Georgia ID cards for Voting Purposes ONLY are issued in the Voter Registrations & Elections Office. Please call us at (770) 781-2118 for more information, or to schedule an appointment. Our office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information on other ID cards available in Georgia please visit the GA Department of Driver Services website at www.dds.ga.gov.

Polling place reminders

Georgia Election Code Annotated (O.C.G.A.) provides rules and regulations for voting in Georgia.  Several election code sections we encourage voters to be aware of are below.  The Georgia Election Code can be accessed online at: http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/gacode/default.asp    

 

X Do NOT campaign within 150’ of the outer edge of the polling place. 
Click here for polling place images with 150' buffer denoted in green.

O.C.G.A. § 21-2-414 (a)(1)

X Do NOT attempt to take a photo of your ballot. 
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-413 (e) and O.C.G.A. 21-2-568.2

X Do NOT attempt to take selfies in the polling place.
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-413 (e) and O.C.G.A. 21-2-568.2

X Do NOT carry a firearm inside the polling place.
O.C.G.A. §21-2-413 (i)

X Do NOT use electronic devices inside the polling place.
O.C.G.A. § 21-2-413 (e)

 

 DO ask a poll worker if you have any questions. They are here to help!
Have questions before or after going to vote in person? Email our department at Voter@forsythco.com.

 DO feel free to take a selfie outside of the polling place proudly displaying your Georgia voter sticker.

Advance Voting

Advance Voting dates, times and locations

Advance Voting details for future elections will be posted when available.

Things to know

All Forsyth County registered voters may take advantage of Advance Voting in person during the dates and hours posted, regardless of where they are assigned to vote on Election Day.

Election Day Voting in Person

Election Day voting hours and more

  • Voting hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • On Election Day voters must go to their designated polling place to vote.

Where do I vote?

To confirm your registration information, verify your Election Day polling place and review your sample ballot visit:

My Voter Page: www.mvp.sos.ga.gov

Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections: (770) 781-2118 ext. 9

Georgia Secretary of State: www.sos.ga.gov 

Important change

If you go to a precinct that is not your assigned precinct, you cannot cast a valid Out of Precinct (OP) provisional ballot before 5 p.m. If you want your vote to count, you will need to go to your assigned precinct to vote or wait until 5 p.m. at the unassigned precinct to vote an OP provisional ballot. There are no exceptions. 

Things to know on Election Day

  • Please verify your Election Day polling place at www.mvp.sos.ga.gov prior to going to the polls.
  • An Advance Voting Location MAY NOT be your designated Election Day polling place.
  • Three of the four Advance Voting locations (Hampton Park Library, Midway Park Community Building and Sharon Springs Park Community Building) are also Election Day polling places. On Election Day ONLY those voters who are assigned to those designated polling places should go there to vote.
  • The Forsyth County Elections Office is open all day on Election Day to answer any questions a voter may have and to accept voted absentee ballots. Our office IS NOT open for voting on Election Day; it is not an Election Day polling place. A voter's polling place on Election Day is specific to where their residence (as registered) falls within designated precinct lines.

Maps

2023 Maps

2022 Maps

2021 Maps

2020 Maps

Precinct and Polling Places

District Line Updates

Redistricting after the 2020 Census

Every ten years following completion of the census, the U.S. Constitution requires all voting districts be reevaluated to ensure equal representation. As law establishes that representatives are to be based on population, district lines are re-drawn as needed based upon changes in population. In Forsyth County, census data resulted in changes to all voting districts: congressional, state senate, state house, county commission and county school board. 

The  district lines changes outlined below went into effect January 1, 2023.

Chart: Forsyth County Districts

Congressional, State Senate and State House District Lines

Congressional, State Senate and State House Updated District Descriptions

Chart: Congressional, State Senate and State House Districts Data

Maps: Congressional, State Senate and State House Districts

County Board of Commissioners and County Board of Education District Lines

Map: Forsyth County Commissioners and Board of Education Districts

Chart: Forsyth County Districts

Congressional, State Senate and State House District Lines

Legislation establishing the congressional, state senate and state house district lines was signed by Governor Brian Kemp on December 30, 2021. 

Congressional, State Senate and State House Updated District Descriptions

Congressional district:
Congressional district 6 will represent all of Forsyth County, as well as all of Dawson County and portions of Cherokee, Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

State Senate districts:

Senate district 27 will represent the majority of Forsyth County. This district will not represent any other county.

Senate district 48 will represent a portion of south Forsyth County, as well as portions of Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

State House districts:
House district 11 will represent a portion of northwest Forsyth County, as well as all of Pickens County and a portion of Cherokee County.

House district 24 will represent a portion of western Forsyth County.  This district will not represent any other county.

House district 25 will represent portions of southern Forsyth County, as well as a portion of Fulton County.

House district 26 will represent a portion of eastern Forsyth County.  This district will not represent any other county.

House district 28 will represent portions of northern Forsyth County, as well as a portion of Hall County.

House district 100 will represent portions of southern Forsyth County, as well as portions of Gwinnett and Hall counties.

Chart: Congressional, State Senate and State House Districts Data

Maps: Congressional, State Senate and State House Districts

County Board of Commissioners and County Board of Education District Lines

Legislation establishing the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners and Forsyth County Board of Education district lines was signed into effect by Governor Kemp on February 17, 2022. 

Maps: Forsyth County Commissioners and Board of Education Districts

Maps: Precincts and Polling Places

Helpful Links

What is a precinct?

A precinct is synonymous with the term “voting precinct” and means a geographical area from which all electors vote at one polling place.

What is a polling place?

A polling place is the room provided in each precinct for voting at a primary or election.

List of precinct and polling places: effective for the 2022 election cycle

List of precincts and polling places: effective for the 2022 election cycle

PLEASE NOTE: On Election Day, voters must go to their designated polling place to vote. Visit www.mvp.sos.ga.gov to verify your Election Day polling location.

Election Results, Statistics and Sample Ballots

Challenges to Voter Eligibility

Order Voter Registration Lists and Files

Voter registration lists and files are available to the public. The files contain the following information: voter name, residence address, mailing address if different, race, gender, registration date and last voting date. Pricing is set by the Secretary of State.  Such data may not be used by any person for commercial purposes. (O.C.G.A. 21-2-225c)


All such lists are ordered through the order form provided by the Secretary of State. For information on how to order voter registration lists and files, visit the Georgia Secretary of State's website. 

Click here to view the pricing sheet and order form.

The Georgia Secretary of State's website also provides links to the following information:

November 6, 2018 Provisional Ballot Contact Information

The Secretary of State’s Office has established a secure website and free-access telephone number for provisional ballot voters to access to determine whether their provisional ballots were counted and if not, the reason why.

The website is: http://sos.ga.gov/index.php/elections/check_your_provisional_ballot_status_for_november_6_2018_election
The free access number is 1-844-537-5375.

Voters who cast a provisional ballot in Forsyth County may call (770) 781-2118, ext. 9 to determine whether their provisional ballots were counted and if not, the reason why.

All collect calls from provisional voters will be accepted. You may also email Voter@forsythco.com.