The Athens-Clarke County Elections Department has discovered a clerical error in a mailing list that allowed for a second absentee ballot to be mistakenly sent to approximately 725 registered voters who requested an absentee ballot for the November 5, 2024 General Election.  

Absentee ballots and in-person ballots are tied to an individual voter. Because of this, the statewide elections system is designed to prevent more than one ballot from being cast even if a voter receives a second ballot due to an error or has requested a second one due to not having received the first ballot and later receives both. 

“Our elections system is a secure process with multiple steps in place designed to ensure one vote per registered voter,” said ACCGov Elections Department Director Charlotte Sosebee. “In addition to this safeguard, we are contacting each of the affected voters through expedited mail, email, or phone to inform them about their absentee ballots and what steps to take with the ballots.” 

Voters interested in casting an absentee ballot must first make an absentee ballot request. These requests for the November 2024 General Election were accepted between August 19, 2024 and October 25, 2024. Once processed, voters are sent an absentee ballot to return through the mail or in-person. 

As per state law, the Elections Department began mailing absentee ballots on October 7, 2024, for the November 5, 2024 General Election. On October 9, 2024, the retrieval of voters from the statewide Georgia Registered Voter Information System (GARViS) that listed who should be sent absentee ballots included approximately 725 voters who had previously been included on a prior report. When the October 9 report was uploaded to Athens-Clarke County’s third-party mailer, these voters included on the earlier report were inadvertently sent a second absentee ballot. 

Elections Department staff is also implementing additional measures to supplement regular election system processes and ensure all returned absentee ballots are reviewed. Staff has spoken with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office to inform them of the clerical error. The Secretary of State’s Office has expressed support for Athens-Clarke County’s response to the matter. 

Voters can track the status of their absentee ballot request and the ballot itself through the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov. 

In the case where voters do not receive their mailed absentee ballot, they can contact the Elections Department to inquire about receiving a second absentee ballot or cancelling the first one in order to vote in-person. 

Voters who may have received a second absentee ballot in any situation should only use one ballot. Attempts by a voter to vote multiple times through either in-person voting, absentee ballots, or other methods is considered a felony crime. 

Voters can destroy the extra ballot on their own or bring the blank absentee ballot to the Elections Department at 155 E. Washington Street. Extra absentee ballots should not be mailed back to the Elections Department or included in the envelope with the ballot to cast.  

For more information, contact the Elections Department at 706-613-3150 or visit www.accgov.com/elections.