SB214: SB214 Elections and Primaries; electors to cast physical absentee on-request ballots as an alternative to using other authorized means of casting in-person votes; authorize

Georgia currently requires uniform electronic ballot marking equipment statewide. This bill directs the state to certify new voting equipment, which could include hand marked paper ballots printed on demand for each ballot style, with statewide use required for elections after December 31, 2027 (no earlier than February 1, 2027). It creates a legislative and citizen advisory committee to help certify the new system and authorizes pilot programs to test it. The bill also adds rules for programming, testing, storage, and custody of ballot on demand printing equipment, requires at least one accessible electronic ballot marker at every polling place for voters with disabilities, and gives voters accompanied by children two years old or younger the same line-skipping privileges already given to elderly and disabled voters. It requires scanners to flag overvoted ballots for review before acceptance, updates rules on posting digital ballot images and auditing ballots, moves the ballot-audit pilot program from the Secretary of State to the State Election Board, and extends existing crimes covering vote tampering to include ballot on demand printing equipment. For very small elections (fewer than 5,000 registered voters), county superintendents can let voters mark paper ballots by hand instead of using electronic marking devices, with State Election Board approval. Most provisions take effect January 1, 2027, though several sections take effect on signing, July 1, 2026, or January 1, 2028.

• Requires the state to certify new voting equipment, potentially including hand marked paper ballots printed on demand, for use in elections after December 31, 2027.
• Creates a 10 member advisory committee of legislators, gubernatorial appointees, county election officials, and a cybersecurity expert to help certify the new voting system, set to expire July 1, 2029.
• Adds new rules for designing, testing, storing, and controlling custody of ballot on demand printing equipment, including public testing notices before elections.
• Extends line-skipping privileges during advance voting and on election day to voters accompanied by a child age two or younger, matching existing privileges for elderly and disabled voters.
• Requires ballot scanners at precincts and advance voting sites to reject overvoted ballots so voters can review and fix them before the ballot is accepted.
• Allows counties with fewer than 5,000 registered voters to let voters mark paper absentee-style ballots by hand for certain special elections, with State Election Board approval.

County and municipal election superintendents and their staff, the Secretary of State's office, the State Election Board, poll workers, voters with disabilities, elderly voters, voters accompanied by young children, and residents of smaller counties eligible to use hand marked paper ballots for special elections.

If enacted, Georgia's voting equipment could look different by 2028, potentially shifting toward hand marked or on-demand printed paper ballots instead of touchscreen markers. Voters with young children would get faster access to voting, and scanners catching overvotes could reduce ballots being rejected without the voter's knowledge.

• Section 1 adds definitions for 'ballot on demand printing' and 'hand marked paper ballot' to Georgia's election code (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-2).
• Section 6 revises O.C.G.A. § 21-2-300 to set a certification and rollout process for new voting equipment starting no earlier than February 1, 2027, and mandatory use after December 31, 2027, plus creates the advisory committee and pilot program authority.
• Section 6(f) lets counties with fewer than 5,000 registered voters use hand marked paper ballots instead of electronic marking devices for certain special elections, with State Election Board approval.
• Section 8 creates O.C.G.A. § 21-2-374.1, setting programming, testing, and custody requirements for ballot on demand printing equipment, including public notice of testing.
• Sections 14 and 15 revise O.C.G.A. §§ 21-2-385.1 and 21-2-409.1 to give voters accompanied by children two years old or younger the same line-skipping rights already given to elderly and disabled voters.
• Section 16 revises O.C.G.A. § 21-2-481 to require ballot scanners to reject overvoted ballots and let voters correct them before the ballot is accepted.
• Section 21 moves the pilot program for auditing paper ballots using optical character recognition from the Secretary of State to the State Election Board under O.C.G.A. § 21-2-498.1.
• Section 28 sets a general effective date of January 1, 2027, with some sections effective immediately on the Governor's signature, July 1, 2026, or January 1, 2028.

1. 2026-04-02House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-04-02House Third Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
4. 2026-01-14House Second Readers (House)
5. 2026-01-13House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2025-04-02Senate Engrossed (Senate)

• Max Burns (R, SD-023)Primary sponsor
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Colton Moore (R, SD-053)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Victor Anderson (R, HD-010)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   31 yea, 24 nay (0 not voting, 1 absent)

   Motion To Engross: Sb 214, Hb 66, Hb 79, Hb 129, Hb 134, Hb 141, Hb 370, Hb 397, Hb 445, Hb 463, Hb 532, Hb 586, Hb 652: Senate Vote #383

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   33 yea, 23 nay

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #397

3. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   132 yea, 39 nay (4 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #856

• voting equipment
• paper ballots
• election administration
• voter accessibility
• election security