Secretary of State Brian Kemp traveled to Bulloch County last week to speak to the Statesboro Board of Realtors. Secretary Kemp addressed the group during a lunch meet-and-greet session at RJ's Seafood and Steaks on upcoming elections and important voting dates.

"It is a great opportunity to be in Statesboro today to promote the upcoming May 24 primary and discuss my office's role in elections and voting in our state," Kemp said. "I'm honored Everett Kennedy invited me to this event to build relationships with local business people and learn more about their thriving community."

Several important deadlines are fast approaching for Georgians wanting to vote in the May 24 general primary and nonpartisan election. To participate, Georgia residents who are not already registered to vote must submit a voter registration application by April 26. You can register to vote using the Secretary of State's online voter registration system (OLVR), downloading the "GA Votes" smartphone app, or completing a fillable, postage-paid voter registration application to mail to your county registrar by the registration deadline.

Voters are advised to request absentee ballots before May 20 to vote by mail. Advance in-person voting begins on May 2. Also, Georgia law requires polls open on Saturday, May 14 in all 159 counties for Georgians to vote in the primary.

"The upcoming primary on May 24 provides an important opportunity for Georgia voters to decide which candidates will best represent their interests in Washington, D.C. and at the Georgia State Capitol," Secretary Kemp said. "On May 24, voters will also have the chance to vote in the nonpartisan election for many judicial offices, including seats on Georgia's Supreme Court, and other influential offices in local government, including district attorneys, sheriffs, commissioners, and school board members."

Kemp has been cecretary of state since January 2010. Among the office's wide-ranging responsibilities, the secretary of state is charged with conducting secure, accessible, and fair elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities, charities and professional license holders.