This story was updated on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 12:39 p.m.
Georgia election officials are telling voters to put their absentee ballots in drop boxes at designated locations in their counties rather than mailing them at this point in the race.
On Monday, the U.S. Postal Service told Georgia voters to mail their absentee ballots a week before Election Day to ensure that election officials will receive their ballots by the closing of polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5. There is now less than a week until then.
Not all early voting locations have absentee ballot drop boxes. Locations with drop boxes can be found here or through the Georgia My Voter page.
Around 130,000 absentee ballots issued to voters have not been returned yet as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office website.
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Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer of the Secretary of State’s Office, said those who haven’t sent their absentee ballots yet should drop off their ballots in person.
“Take it to your local county elections office or the drop box at the early voting location in your county. That way you’re protecting your vote,” he said at a Wednesday press conference.
Drop boxes are only available until the end of early voting on Friday — after that, absentee ballots can be dropped off in person at a voter’s county election office.
Sterling said voters who have not received their absentee ballot yet should plan to vote in person early or on Election Day.
Sterling added that those who have sent their absentee ballots should sign up for Ballot Scout through their My Voter page, which allows them to track their ballot and ensure that election officials receive it.
“If it hasn’t been accepted by Thursday night, make a plan to go vote at your local early voting location or go to your regular Election Day location,” he added.
Sterling said the same goes if you have not received your absentee ballot at all.
After casting a ballot on Tuesday, Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia also urged voters to vote early in person. Ossoff has been a vocal critic of the postal service after monthslong mail delivery issues in the state.
“My recommendation, given the failures of the United States Postal Service in Georgia this year, is to vote early in person, for those who are or have voted by mail to track their ballot on the Secretary of State’s website and to call the voter protection hotline with any questions or for guidance,” he told WABE.
The USPS declined to comment.
Early voting ends Friday, Nov. 1.
