Election policy in Georgia

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# Election policy in Georgia

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in  Georgia

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## Contents

* 1 Voting policy
* 2 Redistricting
* 2.1 State process
* 3 Ballot access
* 4 Election agencies
* 5 See also
* 6 Footnotes

Election policy encompasses a broad assortment of issues, including voter registration, ballot access, early voting, absentee voting and voter identification requirements, as well as the complex process of drawing district lines, known as redistricting. These issues are expressed in the laws governing elections, which can differ dramatically from state to state and even between jurisdictions within states. The complexities surrounding election policy, coupled with the high-stakes nature of partisan politics, have turned election reform into a hotly-contested policy issue.[1]

See state election laws

## Voting policy

See also: Voting in Georgia and Election administration in Georgia

Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which American citizens cast their ballots in their individual states.

## Redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Georgia

"Gerrymandering"

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Georgia's 14 United States Representatives and 236 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[2][3][4][5]

Georgia was apportioned 14 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Georgia after the 2020 census.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Following the 2020 United States Census, Georgia was apportioned 14 congressional districts, which was unchanged from the number it had after the 2010 census.

* Georgia's House of Representatives is made up of 180 districts; Georgia's State Senate is made up of 56 districts.

* In Georgia, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature.

### State process

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

In Georgia, both congressional and state legislative district lines are drawn by the state legislature. A simple majority in each chamber is required to approve redistricting plans, which are subject to veto by the governor.[6]

The Georgia Constitution requires that state legislative districts be contiguous. There are no similar requirements for congressional districts.[6][7]

## Ballot access

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Georgia

A cardboard ballot box at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

In order to get on the ballot in Georgia, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Georgia. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Georgia." Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

## Election agencies

The Federal Election Commission is the only agency authorized to regulate campaign financing for federal candidates.

Federal Election Commission

999 E Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20463
Telephone: 800-424-9530
Email: info@fec.gov

Georgia Secretary of State, Elections Division

Suite 802, Floyd West Tower
2 MLK Jr. Dr.
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Telephone: 404-656-2871

## See also

* Georgia
* Voting in Georgia
* Redistricting in Georgia
* Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Georgia
* Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Georgia
* Campaign finance requirements in Georgia

## Footnotes

1. ↑ Stateline, "Red, Blue States Find Some Common Ground on Elections Reform," May 30, 2014
2. ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
3. ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
4. ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
5. ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 All About Redistricting, "Georgia," accessed April 23, 2015
7. ↑ Georgia Constitution, "Article 3, Section 2," accessed April 23, 2015

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