Georgia lawmakers are scrambling to resolve a self-created election crisis as a July 1 deadline approaches, banning the use of QR codes for official vote tabulation without a replacement system in place. The state's election system, used statewide since the 2020 primary, relies on QR codes printed on ballots to tally votes.
In 2024, Republican legislators passed a law prohibiting the use of these barcodes for the official count after July 1, 2026, but failed to implement an alternative counting method. Governor Brian Kemp called a special legislative session starting Wednesday to address the issue, among other matters, but time is tight.
A special election to fill the U.S. House seat of the late Representative David Scott is scheduled for July 28, with early voting beginning July 6.
The secretary of state's office issued guidance last week telling counties to continue using the current system, including touchscreen voting machines, and to use a two-step process: run ballots through scanners that read QR codes for the election night count, then conduct a hand recount of paper ballots for the official tally. However, the State Election Board, controlled by a Trump-aligned majority, issued conflicting guidance two days later, arguing the secretary's plan is not authorized by law.
The board instructed counties to use hand-marked paper ballots and scanners as an emergency backup if the legislature does not extend the QR code deadline. Local election officials are caught in the middle.
Henry County, in Atlanta's suburbs, is one of the affected counties where voters will head to the polls next month. Interim Elections Director Axiver Harris said the county is waiting for further clarification before making decisions.
Candidates in the special election have mixed views. Marcye Scott, running to succeed her father, said she is focusing on getting out the vote.
Carlos Moore, another candidate, warned that implementing a new counting method without sufficient time could lead to legal challenges and urged lawmakers to extend the QR code deadline for the special election. The conflict highlights ongoing tensions between state election officials and the Trump-aligned election board, with potential for confusion and litigation if the issues are not resolved soon.