Georgia Lawmakers Race to Fix Vote-Counting Method Ban

ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers return to the state Capitol this week for a special session tasked with resolving a self-inflicted election crisis: a looming ban on the QR code vote-counting system used statewide, with no replacement funded or implemented just two weeks before the deadline. Governor Brian Kemp called the special session to begin June 17 after the legislature failed during its regular session to address a 2024 law that outlaws the use of QR codes for official ballot tabulation after July 1, as AP News reported.

How Georgia Got Here

Georgia’s current election system relies on touchscreen ballot-marking devices that print paper ballots with both human-readable text and QR codes. When ballots are tabulated, scanners read the QR codes — not the printed text — to count votes. The system was first used statewide during the 2020 primary and became the subject of unfounded conspiracy theories after the 2020 general election.

In 2024, Georgia’s Republican-controlled legislature passed a law banning QR codes for the “official tabulation count” after July 1, 2026. But the law did not specify a replacement system, provide funding, or establish a transition plan. The Secretary of State’s office estimates it would cost $25-26 million to modify the current system and up to $300 million to replace it entirely.

A compromise bill, Senate Bill 214, that would have extended the deadline to 2028 passed the House but stalled in the Senate on the final day of the legislative session on April 3, as the Cobb County Courier reported.

Conflicting Guidance from State Agencies

Adding to the confusion, the Secretary of State’s office and the State Election Board have issued contradictory instructions to county election officials. The Secretary of State’s office proposed a dual-track system where QR codes would be read for election night counts while optical character recognition software would read human-readable text for the official count. The State Election Board, controlled by a Trump-aligned majority, issued conflicting guidance directing counties to prepare for hand-marked paper ballots as an emergency backup.

Local election officials are caught in the middle. Axiver Harris, interim elections director for Henry County, said the county is awaiting further clarification. “Given the uncertainty surrounding the guidance currently available, we believe it is wise to wait for further direction to ensure that any decisions made are consistent with state requirements and election administration best practices,” Harris wrote in an email, as AP News reported.

The Clock Is Ticking

The urgency is compounded by a special election to fill the remainder of the term of U.S. Rep. David Scott, who died in April. The election is set for July 28, with early voting beginning July 6 — just five days after the QR code ban takes effect. Chatham County Elections Director Brook Schreiner told WTOC that proper election planning requires six months of advance preparation. “A proper election execution you have to plan for that election six months in advance, so we are already starting on November, so the QR deadline just is not enough time,” Schreiner said.

Legal and Political Fallout

Multiple officials have predicted lawsuits regardless of the outcome. Senate Minority Whip Kim Jackson warned that taxpayers and counties would bear the cost. “I think it’s a disservice to taxpayers, because we’re gonna have to pay for all those lawsuits,” Jackson said. “I really think it’s a disservice to our counties, because I got a feeling our county governments are going to foot the bill for those lawsuits.”

Carlos Moore, a candidate in the special election, urged lawmakers to extend the deadline. “I would ask that legislators do the right thing, leave well enough alone for the special election,” Moore said. “Otherwise, it’s almost certain there will be challenges in court.”

What’s at Stake

Georgia is a critical battleground state in national elections, and the confusion over vote-counting methods could lead to litigation, voter distrust, and potential challenges to election results. The situation has drawn attention from national voting rights organizations and could become a flashpoint in the 2026 midterm elections.

Lawmakers have several options: extending the deadline to 2028 as originally proposed in SB 214, adopting the OCR-based modification, or pursuing a more dramatic shift to hand-marked paper ballots. Any solution must also contend with the redistricting component of the special session, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 2026 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which weakened key protections under the Voting Rights Act.

As the special session convenes, county election officials across Georgia are watching closely — and hoping for clarity before the clock runs out.