Georgia voters have one day left to 'cure' rejected ballots; here's how it works

 WHITFIELD COUNTY, Ga. — This year, more absentee ballots were submitted in Georgia than in any other election, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's office.

Now, in a narrowing presidential race where Georgia is playing an important role, voting advocacy groups and local election commissions around the state are working to make sure every vote counts - including absentee ballots rejected for technical errors.

NewsChannel 9 called the local election offices in our viewing area, and they told us only several dozen voters have been impacted by technical errors. Those include missing signatures or a signature not matching the record for an absentee ballot.

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But the issue could be affecting a larger chunk of voters in other areas of the state.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says 18 states give voters the chance to correct discrepancies on their ballot, and Georgia is one of the states.

Georgia voters have three days after an election to have their vote "cured," meaning voters are first notified about the issue on a ballot and then have the opportunity to fix the issue.

Whitfield County Election Supervisor Mary Hammontree said out of 6,485 absentee ballots received in Whitfield County, only 14 had technical errors which caused them to get rejected.

"We had 14 missing signatures and we sent the cure affidavits to the voters. We’ve received seven back," said Hammontree.

Voters impacted will receive an affidavit warning them about the error and asking them to deliver valid identification. This can include a valid Georgia drivers license, a valid photo ID card, a passport, or a current utility bill showing name and address.

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"Get it back to us by tomorrow, either give it to us in person or deliver it overnight - whatever you have to do to get it back so your ballot will count," said Hammontree.

It's a process 19-year-old William Greeson says he sees as a positive. The Dalton native spent the last few months registering voters with the Northwest Georgia Justice Coalition.

"I think every vote should be counted. Whether Donald Trump wins or Joe Biden, every vote should count because it’s not up to the parties who wins, it’s up to the people and states who win," said Greeson.

You can also track and check the status of your absentee ballot online via the Georgia Ballot Tracks page and the Georgia My Voter page.

See the latest national election results here.