Absentee voters in Stephens County and across Georgia must deal with some changes to state laws regarding the procedure for the upcoming primary election in July 15, as well as future votes.

Stephens County Registrar Theresa Kelley said there has been a change in the interpretation of a law regarding turning in absentee ballots.

“The (new) opinion of the law is that when you get your absentee ballot, it either has to be mailed back to my office, or you have to bring it in yourself,” Kelley said. “You cannot have your husband or your wife or a family member bring that ballot back in to me. It has to be from the voter themselves or it has to be mailed back in.”

That is a change from the old interpretation of the law, which allowed spouses or family members to turn in the ballots, Kelley said.

There is one exception to this new interpretation, Kelley said.

“The exception … is if you are physically disabled, then someone can bring it in for you,” she said. “They have to sign ‘assisting you’ on the back of the yellow envelope where you have to sign your oath. They have to sign that ‘assisting you,’ and then that person can bring the ballot back into the office for you.”

She apologizes for the inconvenience, she said, but the change is statewide, and everyone must comply with the new interpretation of the law.