Why can’t I get a bottle of water when I vote in Georgia?

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - You’re tired. Maybe hungry. Likely stressed out after a long day of work ... or stressed out about something. But you suck it up and go do your civic privilege: vote!

So what’s so bad about being tossed a bottle of water when you’re standing in line with everyone else? Because, chances are, the person tossing you that bottle of nature’s refreshing fluid is probably wearing a t-shirt that says, “Vote for {fill in candidate}.”

Georgia’s gotten a lot of bad press over of its voting rules; even comedian Larry David got in on the fun during a recent episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” The flubhub is all about this: Georgia elections officials don’t want anyone affiliated with a political organization to hand out food and beverages to voters in line outside a polling place. They’re worried about influencing how you vote.

The Georgia law simply makes it a misdemeanor to give away food or water within 150 feet of the outer edge of a polling place or within 25 feet of any voter in line. Violations are punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. While people other than poll workers can give away food or water, they have to adhere to these boundaries to avoid breaking the law.

Besides the bottles of water, what else do you need to know when you hit the polls on Tuesday ... or the June 18 runoff ... or the November 5 general election (you may have heard about that one...)

What photo ID do I need to bring?

The short answer is, likely the state-issued one with your most hideous image ever captured by a camera.

Here’s the longer answer:

• Any valid state or federal government-issued photo ID, including a free ID card issued by your county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
• A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired. Yeah, we know; you can’t drive in Georgia with an expired license but you can darn sure vote!
• Student ID from a Georgia public college or university.
• Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government, Georgia, or any Georgia county, municipality, board, authority or other entity.
• Valid U.S. passport ID.
• Valid U.S. military photo ID that has your photograph.
• Valid tribal photo ID containing a photograph of the voter.

I don’t move around well. How do I vote?

No worries! The law requires that your county provide polling places that are accessible to people with disabilities. Georgia’s paper-ballot voting system includes adjustments to accommodate various disabilities. Headsets are available so you can hear your choices read to you. Large controls are available for people with limited mobility, and they can accommodate sip-and-puff devices.

Also, if you are visually impaired, you can use an app on your phone to read your ballot to you before you cast it. Before you leave the polling place, you are required to delete any photos of your ballot necessary to read it.

That’s also a good reminder, no you can’t snap a picture of your ballot or take a selfie with it. It’s not allowed.

How do I see who I’m voting for before I vote?

Need to see what your ballot will look like before you head to the voting booth?

The Georgia Secretary of State’s website allows registered voters to see what their ballot will look like. This allows voters to know what they are voting for before casting their vote.

How do I find where I vote?

On Election Day, voters will head to their specific voting precinct to cast their ballot. A voter’s specific polling location depends entirely on where that person lives in the county they are registered to vote in.

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