Georgia Lawmakers Seek Solution as Vote-counting Method Faces Ban

WHO:

AP News - Georgia lawmakers, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, State Election Board, U.S. Rep. David Scott, Marcye Scott, Carlos Moore, Axiver Harris.

WHAT:

AP News - Republican Gov. Brian Kemp instructed lawmakers to “address issues created” by the law banning QR codes for the official vote count.

AP News - The special election to fill the remainder of U.S. Rep. David Scott's term is set for July 28, with early voting beginning July 6.

AP News - The State Election Board passed a resolution directing counties to use hand-marked paper ballots with scanners if the special legislative session does not extend the QR code deadline.

AP News - Republican Gov. Brian Kemp announced a special legislative session to address the QR code issue and to draw new congressional maps for the 2028 elections.

AP News - The State Election Board passed a resolution instructing counties to use hand-marked paper ballots with scanners if the special legislative session does not result in an extension of the QR code deadline.

AP News - Georgia's current vote-counting method, which relies on a QR code printed on ballots, will be banned after July 1, 2026.

ABC News - Lawmakers are expected to address issues related to the vote-counting method during a special session.

AP News - A special election to fill the remainder of U.S. Rep. David Scott's term is scheduled for July 28, with early voting beginning July 6.

AP News - The State Election Board passed a resolution instructing counties to use hand-marked paper ballots if the special legislative session does not extend the QR code deadline.

WHERE:

AP News - The events are taking place in Georgia, specifically at the Capitol in Atlanta and in the congressional district where the special election will occur.

WHEN:

AP News - The special legislative session is scheduled to start on a Wednesday.

AP News - The special election is set for July 28, with early voting beginning July 6.

WHY:

AP News - The conflicting guidance from the secretary of state’s office and the State Election Board has created uncertainty for local election officials, which could lead to confusion and possible litigation over the state’s elections after the QR code ban takes effect.

AP News - The law banning the use of QR codes for official vote counting was passed two years ago, but no replacement method was implemented, leading to potential confusion and litigation over elections.

AP News - The conflicting guidance from the secretary of state’s office and the State Election Board has created uncertainty for local election officials.

HOW:

AP News - The secretary of state’s office issued guidance stating that counties must continue to use the current election system, including touchscreen voting machines, and that there is nothing in the law that authorizes the use of hand-marked paper ballots for in-person voting.

AP News - The current election system involves scanning ballots with QR codes to generate an election night vote count, followed by uploading electronic images to a server for official tabulation using optical character recognition software.

AP News - The State Election Board's resolution directs counties to use hand-marked paper ballots with scanners if the QR code deadline is not extended.

(UPDATED June 15, 2026 06:44 UTC)

Republican Governor Brian Kemp has instructed lawmakers to address issues stemming from the law that bans QR codes for the official vote count, as the State Election Board has passed a resolution directing counties to use hand-marked paper ballots with scanners if the special legislative session does not extend the QR code deadline. Meanwhile, the special election to fill the remainder of U.S. Rep. David Scott's term is set for July 28, with early voting beginning on July 6. Confusion has arisen due to conflicting guidance from the secretary of state’s office, which states that counties must continue using touchscreen voting machines, leading to potential litigation over the state’s elections once the QR code ban takes effect.

(UPDATED June 15, 2026 04:21 UTC)

Republican Governor Brian Kemp has announced a special legislative session to tackle the QR code issue and to redraw congressional maps for the 2028 elections. Meanwhile, the State Election Board has passed a resolution directing counties to use hand-marked paper ballots with scanners if the session does not extend the QR code deadline, amid conflicting guidance from the secretary of state’s office. This confusion could lead to uncertainty for local election officials and potential litigation over the state's elections once the QR code ban takes effect, as the secretary of state’s office insists that counties must continue using the current election system, including touchscreen voting machines.

(UPDATED June 14, 2026 17:21 UTC)

In Georgia, lawmakers are moving to ban the current vote-counting method that relies on QR codes printed on ballots, with this change set to take effect after July 1, 2026. A special legislative session will address these issues, and a special election to fill the remainder of U.S. Rep. David Scott's term is scheduled for July 28, with early voting starting on July 6. The State Election Board has instructed counties to switch to hand-marked paper ballots if the QR code deadline is not extended, as confusion and uncertainty have arisen from conflicting guidance regarding the vote-counting process.