Georgia CommonsSenate · Engrossed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 214: 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
Last action April 2, 2026 · House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
A House substitute to SB 214 would overhaul Georgia's voting equipment law, requiring the state to supply new equipment by 2027 that could include hand-marked paper ballots and ballot-on-demand printers, while also changing recount thresholds and line-skipping rules for parents with young children and elderly or disabled voters.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia law currently requires counties to use state-provided electronic ballot markers and scanners statewide. This bill amends Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) to let the state provide new voting equipment starting around 2027 that may include hand-marked paper ballots and 'ballot on demand' printers, which print ballots for each ballot style at the polling place rather than pre-printing them. It sets rules for programming, testing, storing, and securing that equipment, and requires at least one electronic ballot marker without QR or bar codes to remain available for voters with disabilities. The bill also creates a state advisory committee to help certify the new equipment, requires ballot scanners to reject overvoted ballots so voters can fix mistakes before they're accepted, expands the line-skipping privilege currently given to voters 75 and older or disabled to include anyone accompanied by a child age two or younger, and lowers the vote-margin threshold that triggers an automatic recount right from 0.5% to 1%. It removes a prior option letting very small counties use plain pen-marked paper ballots instead of electronic ballot markers. Several sections take effect immediately, others on July 1, 2026, January 1, 2027, or January 1, 2028.
What the bill does
- Authorizes the state to provide new voting equipment starting no earlier than February 1, 2027, that may use hand-marked paper ballots and ballot-on-demand printing equipment instead of only electronic ballot markers.
- Creates a legal definition for 'ballot on demand printing' (printers that produce ballots for each ballot style) and 'hand marked paper ballot' in Georgia election law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-2).
- Requires ballot scanners at precincts and advance voting locations to reject overvoted ballots so voters can review and fix them before the ballot is accepted.
- Expands the existing line-skipping accommodation for voters 75 or older or disabled to also cover any voter accompanied by a child two years old or younger, and changes the disability standard to whether standing in line 'would be impracticable.'
- Lowers the automatic recount threshold from a vote-margin difference of one-half of one percent to one percent of total votes cast.
- Removes a current option that let counties with fewer than 5,000 registered voters use plain pen-marked paper ballots as an alternative to electronic ballot markers.
Who it affects
County and municipal election superintendents and their staff, who must test and secure new ballot printing equipment; voters with disabilities, who are guaranteed access to accessible ballot markers; parents or guardians voting with young children; candidates seeking recounts; and small counties that currently use simplified paper ballots.
Why it matters
If enacted, Georgia's voting equipment could shift toward hand-marked paper ballots and on-site ballot printers rather than the current statewide electronic ballot marker system, changing how ballots are produced, tested, and secured. Voters accompanied by young children would gain faster access to voting, and closer elections would face a higher bar before triggering an automatic recount.
Key provisions
- Section 1 adds definitions for 'ballot on demand printing' and 'hand marked paper ballot' to O.C.G.A. § 21-2-2.
- Section 6 revises O.C.G.A. § 21-2-300 so the state can furnish equipment using hand-marked paper ballots and ballot-on-demand printers alongside or instead of electronic ballot markers, effective no earlier than February 1, 2027, with statewide use required for elections after December 31, 2027.
- Section 6 also creates a ten-member advisory committee, chaired by the Secretary of State, to help certify the new equipment system, set to expire July 1, 2029.
- Section 8 adds a new Code section (21-2-374.1) requiring superintendents to test, secure, and appoint custodians for ballot-on-demand printing equipment before each election.
- Section 16 requires ballot scanners to reject overvoted ballots and let voters correct them before the ballot is accepted.
- Sections 14 and 15 extend the current line-skipping privilege for elderly and disabled voters to voters accompanied by a child age two or younger.
- Section 20 raises the automatic recount trigger from a 0.5% vote-margin difference to 1%.
- Section 28 sets a general effective date of January 1, 2027, with some sections effective immediately on the Governor's signature, others on July 1, 2026, and Section 11 on January 1, 2028.
From the bill
“'Ballot on demand printing' means a system that prints ballots for each ballot style within a county or municipality.”
“each ballot scanner shall be programmed to initially reject any ballot on which an overvote or other error is detected and allow the elector the opportunity for such elector to review and correct any ballot so rejected”
Discussed in meetings (8)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Governmental Affairs Committee, March 17, 2026
From 0:19:10 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would require a statewide system using ballots printed on demand and optical scanners by January 1, 2028, remove QR codes and retain accessible ballot-marking equipment. The House presenter said procurement and equipment constraints made a 2026 transition impractical. Members questioned training, cybersecurity, correct ballot assignments, county costs and audit authority. The presenters cited existing training duties, $15 million in county assistance and efforts to secure more funding. Local election officials supported the timeline; a Glynn County witness said ballot testing would help ensure correct assignments. An ACLU of Georgia witness welcomed accessibility protections but sought clear funding commitments. Voter GA witnesses opposed the delay and sought hand-counting, stronger audits and nonproprietary software. A Common Cause Georgia witness questioned expanded State Election Board authority. The sponsor defended transferring the audit pilot as separating election operations from review; members and witnesses questioned the board’s capacity. The committee adopted amendments narrowing precinct-record review language while retaining discrepancy investigations, correcting a drafting term and allowing seven advisory committee members to call a meeting. It rejected proposals to preserve the secretary of state’s parallel pilot, remove the board’s audit authorization or delay that transfer until 2027. The delay proposal failed 7–9. The amended substitute passed by voice vote, without a stated count.
House Rules Committee, March 19, 2026
From 0:57:02 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor requested consideration of the elections bill and thanked the House Governmental Affairs Committee for its work. The sponsor did not explain its provisions. There were no questions or calendar action.
House Rules Committee, March 20, 2026
From 1:00:58 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor identified SB 214 among three bills being brought before the committee and said it had been discussed previously. No provisions were explained, and no questions or vote were recorded.
House floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, PM, part 2)
From 1:15:54 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 4573
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said SB 214 would establish a statewide voting system before 2028 using human-readable paper ballots without QR-coded votes, allowing either hand-marked ballots or ballot-marking devices. The presenter said implementation required time because Georgia has about eight million registered voters, 159 counties, and thousands of ballot styles. Other provisions would track ballots, let voters correct rejected ballots immediately, publish additional election records, expand the recount threshold from 0.5% to 1%, and give line priority to voters accompanying very young children and certain older voters. One member questioned whether the outgoing secretary of state could begin purchasing a system before leaving office. The presenter said existing authority and procurement deadlines prevented that, but the member disputed that interpretation. Another member asked about a security patch for existing machines. The presenter said the bill did not require it and related upgrades were unfunded. The presenter also said ballot secrecy would remain protected. A supporting member praised bipartisan consultation and easier access for families. The House adopted the Rules Committee's replacement version and passed the bill, 132 to 39.
House Rules Committee, April 2, 2026
From 0:29:45 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The vice chair presented substitute LC474318S for SB 214. The vice chair said it defined hand-marked paper ballots, added a cybersecurity expert to an election-system advisory committee, required a serialized ballot batch identifier, and raised the recount threshold from 0.5% to 1%. The vice chair said the recount change and a provision assigning optical character recognition audits to the State Election Board rather than the secretary of state would take effect in July, after the primary but before the general election. A member questioned county representation on the advisory committee. The vice chair initially said no counties were excluded, then said the language appeared intended to prevent duplicate county representation. The member also raised an election official's concern about major changes close to an election. The vice chair said changes were needed under current law and understood the statewide election officials' association to support the legislation. Asked about hand-marked ballots, the vice chair said the substitute added a definition without changing existing requirements. The committee approved the substitute, then placed it on the supplemental calendar. No opposition or vote count was recorded.
Status timeline
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Engrossed (Senate)
Show full history (12 actions)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Max Burns (R, SD-23)
- Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
- Colton Moore (R, SD-53)
- Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
- Steve Gooch (R, SD-51)
- Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
- Victor Anderson (R, HD-10)
Votes
- Senate voteApril 2, 2025
31 yea, 24 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)
- Senate voteApril 2, 2025
33 yea, 23 nay
- House voteApril 2, 2026
132 yea, 39 nay (4 not voting, 1 excused)
Topics
- voting equipment
- election administration
- paper ballots
- voter accessibility
- election recounts