The Overview

If you vote in Georgia, the touchscreen machines that print your ballot will stay in use through at least November, and a new committee will now set the standards for whatever replaces them. Georgia's Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee; establish, SB 3 became law when Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed it June 25. ​

The Associated Press reported that nearly all in-person voters in Georgia use touchscreen machines that print paper ballots with a human-readable summary and a QR code scanned to count votes, and that election-security advocates have questioned whether voters can verify that the QR code matches their printed choices.

What the Law Does

The law creates an Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee to develop requirements for a new uniform election-equipment system and limits the Secretary of State's authority over its selection, certification, or procurement. The committee must deliver its recommendations by Jan. 31, 2027.

The law also requires each county superintendent to hand-count all votes in the top two races on the ballot before certifying results; if a ballot has only one race, that race must be manually recounted as well. If the hand count finds the original tally was wrong, the superintendent or the Secretary of State must correct the returns before certification. The law also extends the deadline for phasing out QR-code ballots to 2028, according to WABE.

Legislative Status

Sen. Max Burns (R), Sen. Larry Walker (R), Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R), Sen. Randy Robertson (R), Sen. Clint Dixon (R), and Sen. Frank Ginn (R) are among the 22 sponsors of the bill, and the roles of the other 16 sponsors are not identified. The House passed it June 23, 94 to 79. The Senate agreed the same day, 36 to 16.

The Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials said in a June 16 statement that the bill "strikes a delicate balance between avoiding chaotic mid-cycle changes and proactively addressing citizens' concerns," according to the association's website.

---

AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.

---

Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article