{"641853":{"#nid":"641853","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Getting Ready for Georgia\u0027s Runoff Election","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe State of Georgia will host a runoff election Tuesday, Jan. 5, for the state\u0026rsquo;s two U.S. Senate seats. The results will determine which party will control the Senate for at least the next two years.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIncumbent Sen. David Perdue (R) is seeking another six-year term against Jon Ossoff (D). For the other seat, incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R) is running to win the last two years of retired Sen. Johnny Isakson\u0026rsquo;s term, a seat to which she was appointed by Governor Brian Kemp in 2019. She\u0026rsquo;s facing off against Rev. Raphael Warnock (D).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf one or both Republicans win, the GOP will retain its Senate majority. If the two Democrats win\u0026nbsp;and create a 50-50 split, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris would be able to break any tie votes in the chamber.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003ERegistration\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you plan to vote in the runoff election, first, check that your voter registration is up to date. If you should be registered in Georgia, check your voter registration status \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.mvp.sos.ga.gov\/MVP\/mvp.do\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E. The registration deadline for the Jan. 5 runoff is Monday, Dec. 7.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWho is eligible to vote? To register in Georgia, you must be:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA U.S. citizen.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EA legal resident of Georgia and the county in which you plan to vote.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EAt least 17 \u0026frac12; years of age to register and 18 years of age to vote.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ENot serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003ENot found mentally incompetent by a judge, unless the disability has been removed.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVoter registration is a county function, with counties issuing precinct cards after processing applications.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/registertovote.sos.ga.gov\/GAOLVR\/welcometoga.do#no-back-button\u0022\u003Eregister online\u003C\/a\u003E, you need a valid driver\u0026rsquo;s license or identification card issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services with a signature on file. You also may register by mail. Download, print, sign, and mail the application to your county registrar \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/registertovote.sos.ga.gov\/GAOLVR\/beginRegistration.do\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EVoting Absentee\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo vote by absentee ballot, the ballot must be postmarked by election day and delivered by 7 p.m. on Jan. 5. To request an absentee ballot, the information entered online must match your voter registration record.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Georgia, any registered voter can vote by absentee ballot \u0026mdash; unlike some states, which require voters to provide a justification for requesting one. Voters can request an absentee ballot \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.vote.org\/absentee-ballot\/georgia\/\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E or at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ballotrequest.sos.ga.gov\/\u0022\u003Eballotrequest.sos.ga.gov\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EDates to Note\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EImportant dates related to the Special Election in Georgia:\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cul\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EDec. 7 - Voter registration deadline for Jan. 5 election.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EDec. 14 - Early (advanced in-person) voting begins for federal offices.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\t\u003Cli\u003EJan. 5 - Election Day for federal offices.\u003C\/li\u003E\r\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAs it did for the November general election, McCamish Pavilion will \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/2020\/09\/17\/mccamish-pavilion-serve-election-polling-location\u0022\u003Eserve as a polling place\u003C\/a\u003E for the Jan. 5 runoff election. On Election Day, only residents assigned to McCamish can vote there.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVisit Georgia\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/georgia.gov\/vote-2020-runoff-elections\u0022\u003Erunoff election guide\u003C\/a\u003E or the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/sos.ga.gov\u0022\u003ESecretary of State\u0026rsquo;s office\u003C\/a\u003E for more information.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003ETime to Vote\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPer \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/policymanual\/section8\/C224\/#p8.2.7_leave\u0022\u003Esection 8.2.7.7\u003C\/a\u003E of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/policymanual\/section8\/C224\/\u0022\u003EUSG\u0026rsquo;s general personnel policies\u003C\/a\u003E, employees are encouraged to exercise their constitutional right to vote in all federal, state, and local elections. If polls are not open at least two hours before or two hours after an employee\u0026rsquo;s normally scheduled work shift, sufficient leave time must be granted to permit the employee to vote. Employees should be granted a two-hour block of time in which to vote, if needed.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPer \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/policymanual\/section4\/C327\/#p4.1.3_student_voting_privileges\u0022\u003Esection 4.1.3\u003C\/a\u003E of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.usg.edu\/policymanual\/section4\/C327\u0022\u003EUSG\u0026rsquo;s general Student Affairs policy\u003C\/a\u003E, students are also encouraged to vote in all federal, state, and local elections. A student whose class schedule would otherwise prevent them from voting will be permitted and excused absence for the interval reasonably required for voting.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003EPolitical Activity\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUniversity System of Georgia (USG) employees are encouraged to fulfill their civic obligations and share their views on political issues; however, in doing so, they may act only in their personal capacities and must not use Institute resources or appear to be speaking on behalf of the Institute.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn addition, USG employees may not hold elective political offices at the state or federal level while employed by the USG. Political campaigning during work hours, or in a way that interferes with Institute responsibilities, is prohibited.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.usg.edu\/policymanual\/section8\/C224\/\u0022\u003EView the full USG policy on political activity, under section 8.2.18.3.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EElection day, Nov. 3, is just around the corner. If you have not registered to vote, there\u0026rsquo;s still time.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Election day, Nov. 3, is just around the corner. If you have not registered to vote, there\u2019s still time."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2020-12-04 13:09:34","changed_gmt":"2020-12-04 14:35:02","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2020-12-04T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2020-12-04T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"641854":{"id":"641854","type":"image","title":"Voting at McCamish Pavilion in October 2020","body":null,"created":"1607087605","gmt_created":"2020-12-04 13:13:25","changed":"1607087605","gmt_changed":"2020-12-04 13:13:25","alt":"Voting at McCamish Pavilion in October 2020","file":{"fid":"243865","name":"dsc_4050.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dsc_4050.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/dsc_4050.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":574409,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/dsc_4050.jpg?itok=K4dZZhUG"}}},"media_ids":["641854"],"groups":[{"id":"1317","name":"News Briefs"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"3717","name":"voting"},{"id":"4065","name":"election"},{"id":"1486","name":"government"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:stucomm@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EGrace Wyner\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}