Overview

Some counties use early absentee ballot processing because the process of verifying and opening absentee ballots is time- and labor-intensive. Using early absentee ballot processing allows election officials to tabulate absentee ballots quicker after polls close on Election Day by removing what would otherwise be a backlog of unprocessed absentee ballots received in the weeks prior. See Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-14-.14(1) (noting that absentee ballots can be scanned). In that case, they would create Early Absentee Ballot Processing Board(s) to conduct this process.

However, since the processing of early absentee ballots is not required, Early Absentee Ballot Processing Boards are not created in all counties. See Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-14-.14(1) (noting that Election Superintendents are merely “authorized,” but not required to begin early absentee ballot processing at “8 a.m. on the third Monday prior” to the election). In counties where it does exist as a separate body, it can be office staff or others selected by the Election Supervisor. In some cases, the body is formally appointed (as election workers are, generally) by the County Board of Elections. See Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-14-.14(1)(b).

Election-Related Duties

The key duties of the Early Absentee Ballot Processing Board are:

  1. Conducting early ballot processing. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-14-.14(1).
  2. Flagging any ballot that is “so torn, bent, or otherwise defective that it cannot be processed” by a scanner for the Ballot Duplication Panel. O.C.G.A. § 21-2-483(f); see also Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-14-.14(3)(d).
  3. Flagging initially rejected ballots for the Vote Review Panel. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 183-1-14-.14(3)(e).
  4. Scanning ballots that have been processed without “tally[ing], tabulat[ing], estimat[ing], or attempt[ing] to tally, tabulate, or estimate or cause the ballot scanner or any other equipment to produce any tally or tabulate, partial or otherwise, of the absentee ballots cast until the time for the closing of the polls…” O.C.G.A. § 21-2-386(a)(2)(A).

Selection and Vacancy Information