Georgia’s Special Legislative Session Closes with Election System Concerns

The recent special legislative session in Georgia has wrapped up just as the state confronts a looming deadline regarding its election system. Yet, the solutions proposed by Congress appear to carry potential drawbacks that may affect future midterm elections.

Last week, Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, called for this special session to tackle urgent problems with the state’s electoral framework, which currently relies on QR codes to count votes.

The QR code system, implemented statewide during the 2020 elections, faces a significant change. A law enacted in 2024 is set to ban the use of these QR codes starting July 1, which is bad news for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections if a resolution isn’t achieved soon.

This QR code system first took root across Georgia during that 2020 election cycle.

As the deadline approaches, the special session successfully concluded. Senate Bill 3EX, if signed into law by Governor Kemp, will delay the urgent requirement to find a new voting system until after the 2026 midterms.

This new bill aims to establish an Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee tasked with finding a replacement system, although the current QR code method will still remain in place for now.

Rep. Victor Anderson, a Republican who introduced the bill, mentioned it was “the culmination of many efforts,” while acknowledging it may not offer a complete fix. He expressed that the bill addresses existing conflicts and puts Georgia on a path to enhancing election integrity and transparency as they move toward a new unified voting system.

A debate emerged between Republicans and Democrats on the role of hand-counted votes. Democrats frequently express concerns about manual counting, pointing to longer wait times and added costs. “We all support election integrity, but does this bill really enhance it?” questioned Democratic Rep. Debra Bazemore, voicing her skepticism about the bill possibly creating new avenues for questioning valid election outcomes.

Reports surfaced that the Georgia Senate passed an amendment after a failed attempt in the Senate to introduce another amendment. The House approved the bill with a vote of 94-79, while the Senate’s final vote stood at 36-16.

The newly formed commission is expected to present its recommendations by January 31, 2027, with the current system’s phase-out deadline pushed to January 1, 2028.