---
title: SB 514. Primaries and Elections; use of ballot drop boxes; eliminate authorization
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb514
cite_as: SB 514, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb514
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb514.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb514/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73242
date: 2026-02-18
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb513.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb515.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb514.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 514
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-17
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
  - Timothy Bearden
  - Ricky Williams
  - Randy Robertson
  - Greg Dolezal
  - Matt Brass
  - Jason T. Dickerson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB514/2025
upstream_id: 2118526
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - ballot drop boxes
  - election rules
  - absentee voting
  - sales tax elections
  - special elections
---

# SB 514. Primaries and Elections; use of ballot drop boxes; eliminate authorization

## Text

Senate Bill 514
By: Senators Bearden of the 30th, Williams of the 25th, Robertson of the 29th, Dolezal of
the 27th, Brass of the 6th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
primaries and elections generally, so as to eliminate authorization for the use of ballot drop
boxes; to revise provisions relating to dates for certain special elections related to sales and
use taxes; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries and
elections generally, is amended by repealing subsection (c) of Code Section 21-2-382,
relating to additional buildings as additional registrar's office or place of registration for
receiving absentee ballots and for advance voting and drop boxes.
SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-540, relating to conduct of special
primaries and special elections generally, by revising subsection (c) as follows:
"(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a special primary or
special election to fill a vacancy in a county or municipal office shall be held only on one
of the following dates which is at least 29 days after the date of the call for the special
election:
(A) In odd-numbered years, any such special primary or special election shall only be
held on:
(i) The third Tuesday in March;
(ii) The third Tuesday in June;
(iii) The third Tuesday in September; or
(iv) The Tuesday after the first Monday in November; and
(B) In even-numbered years, any such special primary or special election shall only be
held on:
(i) The third Tuesday in March; provided, however, that in the event that a special
primary or special election is to be held under this provision in a year in which a
presidential preference primary is to be held, then any such special primary or special
election shall be held on the date of and in conjunction with the presidential
preference primary;
(ii) The date of the general primary; or
(iii) The Tuesday after the first Monday in November;
provided, however, that, in the event that a special primary or special election to fill a
federal or state office on a date other than the dates provided in this paragraph has been
scheduled and it is possible to hold a special primary or special election to fill a vacancy
in a county, municipal, or school board office in conjunction with such special primary
or special election to fill a federal or state office, the special primary or special election
to fill such county, municipal, or school board office may be held on the date of and in
conjunction with such special primary or special election to fill such federal or state
office, provided all other provisions of law regarding such primaries and elections are
met.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a special election to
present a question to the voters shall be held only on one of the following dates which is
at least 29 days after the date of the call for the special election:
(A) In odd-numbered years, any such special election shall only be held on the third
Tuesday in March or on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November; and
(B) In even-numbered years, any such special election shall only be held on:
(i) The date of and in conjunction with the presidential preference primary if one is
held that year;
<del>(ii) The third Tuesday in March; provided, however, that such special election shall
occur prior to July 1, 2024, and present a question to the voters on sales and use taxes
authorized by Articles 5, 5A, and 5B of Chapter 8 of Title 48;
(iii)(ii)</del> The date of the general primary; or
<ins>(iv)(iii)</ins> The Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
<ins>(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no special election shall
present a question to the voters on sales and use taxes authorized by Articles 2, 2A, 3, 4,
5, 5A, and 5B of Chapter 8 of Title 48, except on the Tuesday after the first Monday in
November in even numbered years.
</ins> <del>(3)(4)</del> The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to:
(A) Special elections held pursuant to Chapter 4 of this title, the 'Recall Act of 1989,'
to recall a public officer or to fill a vacancy in a public office caused by a recall
election; and
(B) Special primaries or special elections to fill vacancies in federal or state public
offices."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia Senate bill would end the use of ballot drop boxes statewide and restrict when local sales and use tax questions can appear on special election ballots.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia law currently allows counties to set up ballot drop boxes as an option for voters to return absentee ballots, and it allows some sales and use tax questions to be voted on in special elections held at various points in the year. This bill would repeal the section of Georgia election law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-382) that authorizes local officials to designate additional buildings as drop box locations for absentee ballots, effectively eliminating that option.
The bill also rewrites part of the law governing special elections (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-540). It removes a temporary rule that allowed sales tax questions on the third Tuesday in March before July 1, 2024, and instead adds a new rule saying that special elections asking voters about sales and use taxes under several tax code articles can only be held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years. Other special election date rules remain unchanged, and the bill repeals conflicting laws.

### What it does

- Repeals the Georgia law provision (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-382(c)) that lets local election officials designate extra buildings as ballot drop box locations for absentee voting.
- Removes an outdated, time-limited rule that had allowed certain sales tax special elections to be held in March before July 1, 2024.
- Adds a new rule restricting special elections on sales and use taxes to only the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.
- Expands the list of tax code articles covered by the new sales tax election timing rule to include Articles 2, 2A, 3, and 4 of Chapter 8 of Title 48, in addition to Articles 5, 5A, and 5B.

### Who it affects

County and municipal election officials who currently manage drop boxes, absentee voters who use drop boxes to return ballots, and local governments that seek voter approval for sales and use taxes through special elections.

### Why it matters

Voters who relied on drop boxes as a convenient way to return absentee ballots would lose that option. Local governments seeking sales tax approval from voters would have fewer opportunities during the year, since such questions could only appear on the November ballot in even-numbered years.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 repeals subsection (c) of O.C.G.A. § 21-2-382, eliminating the legal authorization for additional buildings to serve as drop box locations.
- Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 21-2-540(c) to remove the expired March 2024 sales tax election date exception.
- Section 2 adds new paragraph (3) limiting special elections on sales and use taxes under Articles 2, 2A, 3, 4, 5, 5A, and 5B of Chapter 8 of Title 48 to the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.
- Section 3 repeals all laws in conflict with the Act.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-02-17)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-18)
- Sponsors: Timothy Bearden, Ricky Williams, Randy Robertson, Greg Dolezal, Matt Brass, Jason T. Dickerson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73242

> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb514.md?full=1