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Ga. voters can get ballots online for runoff

For the estimated 173,000 military and overseas voters eligible to vote by absentee ballot in the Dec. 2 Senate runoff election in Georgia, the Overseas Vote Foundation has developed a customized version of their upgraded online Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot.

Their Web site now allows voters to access the ballot online, guides them through the Georgia state-specific questions, and presents them with the runoff candidate list — Republican Saxby Chambliss and Democrat James Martin. It is not online voting; voters still must print out the ballot and mail it.

OVF’s process also provides voters with complete instructions, the postal mailing address and contact information for their election official.

For those covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, ballots must be received by the election office by Friday, Dec. 5, said Matt Carrothers, spokesman for the Georgia Secretary of State. They must be postmarked by Dec. 2.

“This is a race of razor-thin margins that may be determined by the turnout of overseas and military voters,” said Susan Deieduszycka-Suinat, president and chief executive officer of the foundation, in an announcement about the feature. “Voters must act now to get their ballots back in time.”

The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is for the U.S. Senate runoff election only, as these write-in ballots are used only for federal elections. Voters might opt to use the Georgia State Write-In Absentee Ballot to vote for candidates in state offices. More information is available through the Georgia Secretary of State Elections.