www.tourismdevelopmentalliance.org

Monday, October 6, 2008

Greetings everyone,

But you can't do any of that if you are not registered to vote. And TODAY is the last day you can do so. Please click on our 'Register to Vote' logo on the right to find out how you can quickly and easily register. Or just visit: www.sos.ga.gov/elections.

With the additional access to ballots - on or before election day - voting has never been easier in Georgia. And never has it been more important for your voice to be heard.

Below you will find important information about voting options this year. Please pass this information along.

1. Make sure you are registered to vote. To participate in the November 4 General Election, you must be registered to vote by Monday, October 6. If you have moved, you must update your voter registration to your current address.

2. Take advantage of early voting – Vote Early by Mail or In-Person.

Georgia law changed this year to allow voters to cast ballots 45 days prior to an election, either by mail or in person without providing a reason.

Vote by Mail. To vote by mail, you must first request a mail-in ballot from your county registrar's office. You can fill out a request form at your county registrar's office or download a request form from the Secretary of State's website. Send the completed form to your county elections office and your ballot will be mailed to you. You are not required to show a photo ID when voting by mail.

Vote Early. You can vote in-person now through Friday, October 31. During this time, you can vote at early voting locations in the county where you are registered to vote. To find early voting locations in your county, call your county elections office or visit the Secretary of State's website. A photo ID is required to vote in person.

3. Election Day Voting. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Be sure to confirm the location of your polling place before heading to the polls by using the convenient, on-line poll locator system, or you can call your county elections office. You will need to show a photo ID to vote in person.

Keep in mind, the busiest times at the polls are typically from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

4. If you vote in-person, make sure you have photo ID. Voters casting ballots in-person during early voting or on Election Day will be required to show one of the following six forms of photo ID:

• A Georgia driver's license, even if expired;
• Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
• Valid U.S. passport;
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
• Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
• Valid tribal photo ID.

If you do not have one of these forms of photo identification, you can obtain a free voter ID card at your county elections office or any Georgia Department of Driver Services center.

The Secretary of State's Election Center website at www.sos.ga.gov/ElectionCenter conveniently offers information on voter registration, and mail-in and early voting, as well as a poll locator system that displays voters registration status, legislative districts, and polling location. If you have additional questions, please contact the Secretary of State's Elections Division at (877) 725-9797.

Please register to vote and remember to mark your calendars for our 2009 Tourism Day at the Capitol January 27, 2009. In this right-hand column, you will also find the downloadable 2008 TDAG Annual Report, a summary of the three 2008 Constitutional Amendments for the November 4, 2008 General Election and past Tourism Alliance News.

Best Regards,

Joy Spears Walstrum

Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia

404-223-2264 (w)

404-358-5634 (m)

404-223-2290 (fax)

joy@tourismdevelopmentalliance.org