HB901: HB901 Elections; superintendent may permit any elector of the county to vote in any precinct of the county which such elector chooses under certain conditions; provide

Under current Georgia election law, voters generally must cast their ballots at their assigned precinct. HB901 would add a new option letting a county's election superintendent decide to allow any registered voter in the county to vote at any precinct in the county during a primary, election, or runoff. Before choosing this option, the superintendent would have to confirm safeguards exist to stop someone from voting twice, that enough ballots of each style are available at every precinct, that enough voting machines or ballot marking devices are on hand, and that enough poll workers are staffed. The superintendent would need to notify the Secretary of State in writing and post public notices at least 30 days before the vote, and advertise the decision in the county's legal organ for two weeks beforehand. A decision made for a primary or election would automatically extend to any related runoff. The State Election Board would be authorized to write rules to carry out the new option.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-422) letting a county election superintendent allow any county elector to vote at any precinct in the county rather than only their assigned one.
• Requires the superintendent to verify safeguards against double voting before adopting this option.
• Requires enough ballots, voting machines or ballot marking devices, and poll workers at each precinct to handle voters coming from anywhere in the county.
• Requires written notice to the Secretary of State and posted and advertised public notices at least 30 days before the primary or election.
• Applies the county-wide voting decision automatically to any runoff tied to that primary or election.
• Authorizes the State Election Board to create rules and regulations to implement the new option.

County election superintendents and boards of elections, poll workers, county voters who could choose where to vote, and the Secretary of State's office and State Election Board, which receive notices and set implementing rules.

If adopted by a county, voters could cast ballots at whichever precinct is most convenient rather than being tied to one assigned location, which could ease access but requires counties to add safeguards, extra ballots, equipment, and staffing to prevent double voting and delays.

• Section 1 adds O.C.G.A. § 21-2-422, giving county election superintendents discretion to permit any-precinct voting within the county.
• Subsection (b) lists four conditions the superintendent must confirm before implementing this option, including anti-double-voting safeguards and adequate ballots, machines, and poll workers.
• Subsection (c) requires the decision to be made and reported to the Secretary of State at least 30 days before the primary or election, with public notice posted at precincts and advertised for two weeks in the county's legal organ.
• Subsection (c) also states that a decision made for a primary or election automatically applies to any runoff of that contest.
• Subsection (d) authorizes the State Election Board to promulgate rules and regulations to implement the new Code section.
• Section 2 repeals all conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-12House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-04-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-02House Hopper (House)

• Doreen Carter (D, HD-093)Primary sponsor
• Billy Mitchell (D, HD-088)
• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)

• election rules
• voting precincts
• county elections
• election administration