In alignment with section 4.1.3 of the University System of Georgia (USG)’s general Student Affairs policy, students are encouraged to vote in all federal, state, and local elections. Students are encouraged to plan their voting to avoid missing classes. Students are also encouraged to participate in early voting whenever possible or to vote before, in between, or after classes on election day. For students who are registered elsewhere, they are encouraged to request absentee ballots by the appropriate deadlines. However, faculty should not penalize students for missing a class to vote on election day. In this case, a student should inform the course instructor at least 5 business days before election day about the absence for voting in writing. The course instructor is expected treat the absence as an officially excused absence if a student chooses to vote in person on election day.