Georgia § 21-2-417 - Presentation of identification to poll workers; form of proper identification; swearing of statement when unable to produce proper identification; provisional ballots for those; penalty for false statement under oath.

§ 21-2-417. Presentation of identification to poll workers; form of proper identification; swearing of statement when unable to produce proper identification; provisional ballots for those; penalty for false statement under oath.

Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, each elector shall present proper identification to a poll worker at or prior to completion of a voter's certificate at any polling place and prior to such person's admission to the enclosed space at such polling place. Proper identification shall consist of any one of the following: A Georgia driver's license which was properly issued by the appropriate state agency; A valid Georgia voter identification card issued under Code Section 21-2-417.1 or other valid identification card issued by a branch, department, agency, or entity of the State of Georgia, any other state, or the United States authorized by law to issue personal identification, provided that such identification card contains a photograph of the elector; A valid United States passport; A valid employee identification card containing a photograph of the elector and issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States government, this state, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state; A valid United States military identification card, provided that such identification card contains a photograph of the elector; or A valid tribal identification card containing a photograph of the elector. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, if an elector is unable to produce any of the items of identification listed in subsection (a) of this Code section, he or she shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot pursuant to Code Section 21-2-418 upon swearing or affirming that the elector is the person identified in the elector's voter certificate. Such provisional ballot shall only be counted if the registrars are able to verify current and valid identification of the elector as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section within the time period for verifying provisional ballots pursuant to Code Section 21-2-419. Falsely swearing or affirming such statement under oath shall be punishable as a felony, and the penalty shall be distinctly set forth on the face of the statement. An elector who registered to vote by mail, but did not comply with subsection (c) of Code Section 21-2-220 , and who votes for the first time in this state shall present to the poll workers either one of the forms of identification listed in subsection (a) of this Code section or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of such elector. If such elector does not have any of the forms of identification listed in this subsection, such elector may vote a provisional ballot pursuant to Code Section 21-2-418 upon swearing or affirming that the elector is the person identified in the elector's voter certificate. Such provisional ballot shall only be counted if the registrars are able to verify current and valid identification of the elector as provided in this subsection within the time period for verifying provisional ballots pursuant to Code Section 21-2-419 . Falsely swearing or affirming such statement under oath shall be punishable as a felony, and the penalty shall be distinctly set forth on the face of the statement. (Code 1981, § 21-2-417 , enacted by Ga. L. 1997, p. 662, § 3; Ga. L. 1998, p. 295, § 1; Ga. L. 2001, p. 230, § 15; Ga. L. 2003, p. 517, § 48; Ga. L. 2005, p. 253, § 59/HB 244; Ga. L. 2006, p. 3, § 2/SB 84.) Law reviews. - For article, "Local Government Law," see 53 Mercer L. Rev. 389 (2001). For article on 2005 amendment of this Code section, see 22 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 109 (2005). For article on 2006 amendment of this Code section, see 23 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 145 (2006). For survey article on trial practice and procedure, see 60 Mercer L. Rev. 397 (2008). For article, "Ethics and Professionalism in the Digital Age: Ninth Annual Georgia Symposium on Ethics and Professionalism: A Symposium of the Mercer Law Review: Casenote: Constitutional Burdens on the Right to Vote: Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, Ian McMullen," see 60 Mercer L. Rev. 1007 (2009). For article, "Reasonable Restrictions on the Franchise: Georgia's Voter Identification Act of 2006," see 63 Mercer L. Rev. 1129 (2012). For note on the 2001 amendment to this Code section, see 18 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 114 (2001).