---
title: SB 568. Elections and Primaries; the list of eligible voters is posted and made public prior to each primary or election; require
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb568
cite_as: SB 568, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb568
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb568.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb568/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73566
date: 2026-03-06
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.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 932
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb568.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 568
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-24
last_action: Senate Lost
sponsors:
- Greg Dolezal
- Max Burns
- Carden Summers
- Steve Gooch
- Matt Brass
- Ben Watson
- Jason Anavitarte
- Brian Strickland
- Blake Tillery
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB568/2025
upstream_id: 2123615
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- election administration
- voter registration
- voting equipment
- ballot recounts
- election audits
---
# SB 568. Elections and Primaries; the list of eligible voters is posted and made public prior to each primary or election; require
## Text
The Senate Committee on Ethics offered the following
substitute to SB 568:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
elections and primaries generally, so as to require that the list of eligible voters is posted and
made public prior to each primary or election; to provide for civil fines in the event that
registrars fail to remove a person from the list of registered voters following a successful
challenge; to revise provisions related to the uniform system of election equipment to be used
after July 1, 2026; to revise provisions related to ballot design; to provide that timing marks
may be used on ballots to determine an elector's marked selections; to provide that, if
multiple advance voting locations are utilized in a jurisdiction, designated precincts shall be
assigned to each such location and only electors registered in such precincts shall cast ballots
at their designated advance voting locations; to require the posting of a list of electors who
cast ballots in an election upon the closing of the polls; to require the Secretary of State to
maintain an archival database of such lists; to revise provisions related to data that must be
posted with scanned ballots following the closing of the polls; to revise provisions related to
certain recounts of votes; to revise provisions related to risk-limiting audits; to provide
conforming changes; 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 elections and
primaries generally, is amended in Code Section 21-2-224, relating to registration deadlines,
restrictions on voting in primaries, official list of electors, and voting procedure when portion
of county changed from one county to another, by revising subsection (f) as follows:
"(f) The official list of electors eligible to vote in any primary or election shall be prepared
and completed at least five calendar days prior to the date of the first day of advance voting
as provided for in subsection (d) of Code Section 21-2-385 in a primary or election in
which the list is to be used. On such fifth calendar day prior to the first day of advance
voting, such list shall be deemed a public record subject to inspection and copying pursuant
to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50."
SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-229, relating to challenge of applicant
for registration by other electors, notice and hearing, right of appeal, and sanctions for
board's noncompliance, by revising subsection (f) as follows:
"(f) Failure to comply with the provisions of this Code section by the board of registrars
shall subject such board to sanctions by the State Election Board, including civil fines of
up to $10,000.00 per registration not properly removed."
SECTION 3.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-230, relating to challenge of persons
on list of electors by other electors, procedure, hearing, and right of appeal, by revising
subsection (j) as follows:
"(j) Failure to comply with the provisions of this Code section by the board of registrars
shall subject such board to sanctions by the State Election Board, including civil fines of
up to $10,000.00 per registration not properly removed."
SECTION 4.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-300, relating to provision of new
voting equipment by state, uniform system using ballot scanners, pilot programs, county
obligations, and use of physical ballots, by revising subsection (a) as follows:
"(a)(1) The equipment used for casting and counting votes in county, state, and federal
elections shall be the same in each county in this state and shall be provided to each
county by the state, as determined by the Secretary of State.
(2) Once As soon as possible, once such equipment is certified by the Secretary of State
as safe and practicable for use, all federal, state, and county general primaries and general
elections as well as special primaries and special elections in the State of Georgia
occurring after July 1, 2026, shall be conducted with the use of scanning ballots marked
by electronic ballot markers and an optical scanning voting system utilizing preprinted,
hand marked paper ballots. Ballots shall be tabulated by using ballot scanners with
activated infrared detectors to detect counterfeit ballots and to create scanned images of
tabulated ballots for voting at the polls and for absentee ballots cast in person, unless
otherwise authorized by law; provided, however, that electronic ballot markers shall be
available and accessible at each polling place and advance voting location for individuals
with disabilities and that any such electronic ballot markers shall produce paper ballots
which are marked with the elector's choices in a format readable by the elector.
(3) The state shall furnish a uniform system of election equipment for use in each county.
Additionally, the state shall furnish a uniform system of electronic ballot markers and
ballot scanners in sufficient numbers to comply with Code Section 21-2-379.21 for use
in each county as soon as possible. Such equipment shall be certified by the United
States Election Assistance Commission prior to purchase, lease, or acquisition. At its
own expense, the governing authority of a county may purchase, lease, or otherwise
acquire additional electronic ballot markers optical scanning voting system equipment
and ballot scanners of the type furnished by the state, if the governing authority so
desires. Additionally, at its own expense, the governing authority of a municipality may
choose to acquire its own electronic ballot markers optical scanning voting system
equipment and ballot scanners by purchase, lease, or other procurement process.
(4) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Secretary of State is
authorized to conduct pilot programs to test and evaluate the use of electronic ballot
markers and ballot scanners in primaries and elections in this state."
SECTION 5.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-369, relating to printing of ballots and
arrangement, by revising subsection (a) as follows:
"(a) The ballots shall be printed in black ink upon clear, white, or colored material, of such
size and arrangement as will suit the construction of the ballot scanner, and in plain, clear
type so as to be easily readable by persons with normal vision; provided, however, that red
material shall not be used except that all ovals appearing on the ballot to indicate where a
voter should mark to cast a vote may be printed in red ink."
SECTION 6.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-372, relating to ballot
description and watermark required, as follows:
"21-2-372.
Ballots shall be of suitable design, size, and stock to permit processing by a ballot scanner
and shall be printed in black ink on clear, white, or colored material. Printed ballots shall
also include a solid unique line connecting a candidate's name or ballot question answer
with the selection oval relating to such candidate or answer. Other than ballots delivered
electronically to qualified electors who are entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the
federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. Section 20301,
et seq., the ballots shall be printed on security paper that incorporates features which can
be used to authenticate the ballot as an official ballot, including, but not limited, to a unique
serialized ballot batch identifier number in batches of 100, but which do not make the
ballot identifiable to a particular elector, provided that at least one such feature is a visible
watermark that identifies the ballot as an official Georgia ballot."
SECTION 7.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-379.23, relating to requirements for
ballot display and official ballot for vote tabulation, recount, and audit, as effective on
July 1, 2026, by revising subsection (d) as follows:
"(d) The text portion of the paper ballot marked and by the elector or printed by the
electronic ballot marker indicating the elector's selection shall constitute the official ballot
and shall constitute the official vote for purposes of vote tabulation, any recount conducted
pursuant to Code Section 21-2-495, and any audit conducted pursuant to Code
Section 21-2-498. The official tabulation count of any ballot scanner shall be based upon
the text portion or the machine mark, provided that such mark clearly denotes the elector's
selection and does not use a QR code, bar code, or similar coding, of such ballots and not
any machine coding that may be printed on such ballots; provided, however, that nothing
in this chapter shall be deemed to prohibit or prevent the use of timing marks by optical
scanning voting systems to determine the elector's marked selection."
SECTION 8.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-383, relating to preparation and
delivery of ballots, form of ballots, casting ballot in person using DRE unit, and casting
ballot in person or as absentee using electronic ballot markers, by adding a new subsection
to read as follows:
"(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code section to the contrary, in
jurisdictions in which an optical scanning voting system with ballot scanners is used in
polling places on election day, such scanners shall be used for casting absentee ballots in
person at a registrar's or absentee ballot clerk's office or in accordance with subsection (d)
of Code Section 21-2-385."
SECTION 9.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-385, relating to procedure for voting
by absentee ballot and advance voting, by revising subsection (d) as follows:
"(d)(1) There shall be a period of advance voting that shall commence:
(A) On the fourth Monday immediately prior to each primary or election; and
(B) As soon as possible prior to a runoff from any general primary or election but no
later than the second Monday immediately prior to such runoff
and shall end on the Friday immediately prior to each primary, election, or runoff.
Voting shall be conducted beginning at 9:00 A.M. and ending at 5:00 P.M. on weekdays,
other than observed state holidays, during such period and shall be conducted on the
second and third Saturdays during the hours of 9:00 A.M. through 5:00 P.M. and, if the
registrar or absentee ballot clerk so chooses, the second Sunday, the third Sunday, or both
the second and third Sundays prior to a primary or election during hours determined by
the registrar or absentee ballot clerk, but no longer than 7:00 A.M. through 7:00 P.M.;
provided, however, that, if such second Saturday is a public and legal holiday pursuant
to Code Section 1-4-1, if such second Saturday follows a public and legal holiday
occurring on the Thursday or Friday immediately preceding such second Saturday, or if
such second Saturday immediately precedes a public and legal holiday occurring on the
following Sunday or Monday, such advance voting shall not be held on such second
Saturday but shall be held on the third Saturday prior to such primary or election
beginning at 9:00 A.M. and ending at 5:00 P.M. Except as otherwise provided in this
paragraph, the registrars may extend the hours for voting to permit advance voting from
7:00 A.M. until 7:00 P.M. and may provide for additional voting locations pursuant to
paragraph (1.1) of this subsection and Code Section 21-2-382 to suit the needs of the
electors of the jurisdiction at their option; provided, however, that voting shall occur only
on the days specified in this paragraph and counties and municipalities shall not be
authorized to conduct advance voting on any other days.
(1.1) Notwithstanding any provision of Code Section 21-2-382 to the contrary:
(A) In the event that the registrars for a county provide more than one advance voting
location, the registrars shall designate a specific advance voting location for each
precinct in the county. Only the electors who are registered to vote in the precincts
designated for a specific advance voting location may cast a vote pursuant to this
subsection at such advance voting location; and
(B) In the event that the registrars for a municipality provide more than one advance
voting location, the registrars shall designate a specific advance voting location for each
precinct in the municipality. Only the electors who are registered to vote in the
precincts designated for a specific advance voting location may cast a vote pursuant to
this subsection at such advance voting location.
(2) The registrars or absentee ballot clerk, as appropriate, shall provide reasonable notice
to the electors of their jurisdiction of the availability of advance voting as well as the
times, dates, and each voter's assigned locations at which advance voting will be
conducted. In addition, the registrars or absentee ballot clerk shall notify the Secretary
of State in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State of the times, dates, and
locations at which advance voting will be conducted.
(3) The board of registrars shall publish the dates, times, and locations of the availability
of advance voting in its jurisdiction on the homepage of the county's publicly accessible
website associated with elections or registrations, or if the county does not have such a
website, in a newspaper of general circulation, and by posting in a prominent location in
the county, no later than 14 days prior to the beginning of the advance voting period for
a general primary, special primary, general election, or special election and no later than
seven days prior to the beginning of the advance voting period for any run-off election.
Any new advance voting locations added after that deadline shall be published in the
same manner as soon as possible. If multiple advance voting locations are provided for
in a jurisdiction, the registrars shall also publish a list of which precincts are assigned to
each advance voting locations and provide notices that only those electors registered to
vote in a precinct assigned to a designated advance voting location may cast an advance
vote at a specific advance voting location. The board of registrars shall not remove any
advance voting location after the notice of such location is published, except in the case
of an emergency or unavoidable event that renders a location unavailable for use. Any
changes that are made due to an emergency or unavoidable event after a notice of a
location has been published shall be published as soon as possible in the same manner set
forth in this paragraph."
SECTION 10.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-421, relating to posting of
required information after closing of polls and reporting to Secretary of State, as follows:
"21-2-421.
(a) As soon as possible but not later than 11:59 P.M. following the close of the polls on
the day of a primary, election, or runoff, the election superintendent shall report to the
Secretary of State and post in a prominent public place the Secretary shall post on the
Secretary's website the following information:
(1) The number of ballots cast at the polls on the day of the primary, election, or runoff,
including provisional ballots cast;
(2) The number of ballots cast at advance voting locations during the advance voting
period for the primary, election, or runoff; and
(3) The total number of absentee ballots returned to the board of registrars by the
deadline to receive such absentee ballots on the day of the primary, election, or runoff;
and
(4) An enumerated list of electors who cast ballots during such primary, election, or
runoff.
(b) Upon the completion of the report provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section,
the election superintendent shall compare the total number of ballots received as reported
in subsection (a) of this Code section and the counting of the ballots in the primary,
election, or runoff minus any rejected and uncured absentee ballots, uncounted provisional
ballots, and any other uncounted ballots, with the total number of ballots cast in the
primary, election, or runoff. The results of such comparison and all explanatory materials
shall be reported to the Secretary of State. The reason for any discrepancy shall be fully
investigated and reported to the Secretary of State.
(c) The Secretary of State shall maintain an archival database of the lists of electors
required by paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section, and such lists shall be
added to such database within one hour of being received and shall remain unchanged once
placed in such database."
SECTION 11.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-481, relating to design, size,
and stock of ballots, as follows:
"21-2-481.
Ballots in a precinct using optical scanning voting equipment shall be of suitable design,
size, and stock to permit processing by a tabulating machine and shall be printed in black
ink on white or colored material. A serially numbered strip shall be attached to each ballot
to be counted by a central count tabulator in the same form as required by Code
Section 21-2-372."
SECTION 12.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-493, relating to computation,
canvassing, and tabulation of returns, investigation of discrepancies in vote counts, recount
procedure, posting of digital images of scanned paper ballots, certification of returns, and
change in returns, by revising subsections (c), (e), (g), (j.1), and (j.2) as follows:
"(c) In precincts in which paper ballots or optical scanning voting systems have been used,
the superintendent may require the production of the ballot box and the recount of the
ballots contained in such ballot box, either generally or respecting the particular office,
nomination, or question as to which the excess exists, in the discretion of the
superintendent, and may require the correction of the returns in accordance with the result
of such recount. If the ballot box is found to contain more ballots than there are electors
registered in such precinct or more ballots than the number of voters who voted in such
precinct at such primary or election, the superintendent may, in his or her discretion,
exclude the poll of that precinct, either as to all offices, candidates, questions, or parties and
bodies or as to any particular offices, candidates, questions, or parties and bodies, as to
which such excess exists."
"(e) In precincts in which paper ballots or optical scanning voting systems have been used,
the general returns made by the poll officers from the various precincts shall be read one
after another in the usual order, slowly and audibly, by one of the assistants who shall, in
each case of a return from a precinct in which ballots were used, read therefrom the number
of ballots issued, spoiled, canceled, and cast, respectively, whereupon the assistant having
charge of the records of the superintendent showing the number of ballots furnished for
each precinct, including the number of stubs, where used, and unused ballots and spoiled
and canceled ballots returned, shall publicly announce the number of the same respectively;
and, unless it appears by such number or calculations therefrom that such records and such
general return correspond, no further returns shall be read from the latter until all
discrepancies are explained to the satisfaction of the superintendent."
"(g) In precincts in which paper ballots or optical scanning voting systems have been used,
when the records agree with such returns regarding the number of ballots and the number
of votes recorded for each candidate, such votes for each candidate shall be read by an
assistant slowly, audibly, and in an orderly manner from the general return which has been
returned unsealed; and the figures announced shall be compared by other assistants with
the general return which has been returned sealed. The figures announced for all precincts
shall be compared by one of the assistants with the tally papers from the respective
precincts. If any discrepancies are discovered, the superintendent shall examine all of the
return sheets, tally papers, and other papers in his or her possession relating to the same
precinct. If the tally papers and sealed general return sheet agree, the unsealed general
return shall be immediately corrected to conform thereto. In every other case the
superintendent shall immediately cause the ballot box of the precinct to be opened and the
vote therein to be recounted in the presence of interested candidates or their
representatives; and, if the recount shall not be sufficient to correct the error, the
superintendent may summon the poll officers to appear immediately with all election
papers in their possession."
"(j.1) The Secretary of State shall create and maintain a state-wide program for the posting
of digital images of the scanned paper ballots created by the voting system. All such scans
shall have a resolution of no less than 200 dots per inch. Such posted scans shall include
the authentication files for such scans, and such scans shall be posted by precinct for each
county. Digital images of the scanned ballots created as part of the preliminary tabulation
process, cast vote records, security logs, and system log files of central tabulators shall be
posted no later than 5:00 P.M. on the second Friday following the day of the election, and
such postings shall be supplemented by the posting of any additional ballot images created
in the tabulation process through final certification of such election.
(j.2)(1) In On or after January 1, 2025, in the event that a superintendent receives a request
pursuant to Code Section 50-18-71 for scanned ballot images at a resolution higher than
the ballot images available from the Secretary of State pursuant to subsection (j.1) of this
Code section, and such request is received following the final certification of the results of
the election in which such ballots were created, the superintendent shall, consistent with
Code Section 50-18-71, produce digital scans of the requested ballots at a resolution of no
less than 600 dots per inch and deliver such scans to the requestor; provided, however, that
the superintendent shall not be authorized to charge any fee authorized by Code Section
50-18-71 for such request. A person making a request pursuant to this subsection may
observe the scanning and related handling process, but under no circumstances shall
anyone other than an authorized election official touch or handle a physical ballot. In no
event shall the superintendent take more than 30 days from the date of request to deliver
such request to the requestor.
(2) Notwithstanding any seal provided for by Code Section 21-2-500, a superintendent
shall have access to the ballots cast within its jurisdiction so as to comply with the
provisions of this subsection. Upon receiving a request pursuant to this subsection, the
superintendent shall notify the clerk of the superior court or, if designated by the clerk of
the superior court, the county records manager or other office or official under the
jurisdiction of a county governing authority which maintains or is responsible for
maintaining such sealed ballots, and such official or office that maintains such requested
ballot shall provide the superintendent access to such ballot without the need for obtaining
a court order. All ballots provided to a superintendent pursuant to this paragraph shall be
immediately returned by such superintendent to the official or office that maintains such
ballots upon the scanning of such ballot."
SECTION 13.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-495, relating to procedure for recount
or recanvass of votes, losing candidate’s right to a recount, and rules and regulations, by
revising subsection (c) as follows:
"(c)(1) Whenever the difference between the number of votes received by a candidate
who has been declared nominated for an office in a primary election or who has been
declared elected to an office in an election or who has been declared eligible for a run-off
primary or election and the number of votes received by any other candidate or
candidates not declared so nominated or elected or eligible for a runoff shall be not more
than one-half of 1 1 percent of the total votes which were cast for such office therein, any
such candidate or candidates receiving a sufficient number of votes so that the difference
between his or her vote and that of a candidate declared nominated, elected, or eligible
for a runoff is not more than one-half of 1 1 percent of the total votes cast, within a period
of two business days following the certification of the election results, shall have the right
to a recount of the votes cast, if such request is made in writing by the losing candidate.
If the office sought is a federal or state office voted upon by the electors of more than one
county, the request shall be made to the Secretary of State who shall direct that the
recount be performed in all counties in which electors voted for such office and notify the
superintendents of the several counties involved of the request. In all other cases, the
request shall be made to the superintendent. The superintendent or superintendents shall
order a recount of such votes to be made immediately. If, upon such recount, it is
determined that the original count was incorrect, the returns and all papers prepared by
the superintendent, the superintendents, or the Secretary of State shall be corrected
accordingly and the results recertified.
(2) Whenever the difference between the number of votes for approval or rejection of a
constitutional amendment or binding referendum question shall be not more than one-half
of 1 1 percent of the total votes which were cast on such amendment or question therein,
within a period of two business days following the certification of the election results, the
Constitutional Amendments Publication Board shall be authorized in its discretion to call
for a recount of the votes cast with regard to such amendment or question. In the case of
a constitutional amendment or state-wide referendum question or a question voted upon
by the electors of more than one county, the board shall direct the Secretary of State to
cause a recount to be performed with regard to such amendment or question in all
counties involved and notify the superintendents of the recount. In the case of questions
voted upon by the electors of only one county or municipality, the board shall direct the
Secretary of State to cause a recount to be conducted by the county or municipality
involved and the Secretary of State shall notify the superintendent involved of the
recount. Upon notification, the superintendent or superintendents shall order a recount
of such votes to be made immediately. If, upon such recount, it is determined that the
original count was incorrect, the returns and all papers prepared by the superintendent,
the superintendents, or the Secretary of State shall be corrected accordingly and the
results recertified.
(3) Any recount pursuant to this subsection shall be conducted using a manual hand
count of all ballots cast in such primary or election."
SECTION 14.
Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 21-2-498, relating to
precertification tabulation audits and risk-limiting audits, as follows:
"21-2-498.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Incorrect outcome' means the winner of a contest or the answer to a proposed
constitutional amendment or question would be different from the results found in a
manual recount of paper official ballots.
(2) 'Risk limit' means the largest statistical probability that an incorrect outcome is not
detected or corrected in a risk-limiting audit; provided, however, that such probability
does not exceed:
(A) Eight percent in 2024;
(B) Six percent in 2026; and
(C) Five percent or less in 2028 and thereafter.
(3) 'Risk-limiting audit' means an audit protocol that makes use of statistical methods and
is designed to limit to acceptable levels the risk of certifying a preliminary election
outcome that constitutes an incorrect outcome.
(4) 'Selected contests' means:
(A) The contest at the top of a ballot; and
(B) If the following races are on a ballot, one contest from the following races as
selected pursuant to subsection (d) of this Code section: United States Senate,
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State School
Superintendent, Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of Agriculture,
Commissioner of Labor, Supreme Court Justice, Judge of the Court of Appeals, or
Public Service Commissioner, provided that such selected contest is not the race at the
top of the ballot.
(b) Local election superintendents shall conduct precertification risk-limiting audits on
selected contests following any election, special election, election runoff, special election
runoff, primary, special primary, primary runoff, or special primary runoff with on the
following contests, if any such contest is on the ballot: presidential, United States Senate
Senator, or state-wide contests United States Representative, Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General in accordance with requirements set
forth by rule or regulation of the State Election Board. Audits performed under this Code
section shall, at the discretion of the superintendent, be conducted by manual inspection
of random samples of the paper official ballots or all ballots cast in such election.
(c) In conducting each audit, the local election superintendents shall:
(1) Complete the audit prior to final certification of the contests;
(2) Ensure that all types of ballots are included in the audit, whether cast in person, by
absentee ballot, advance voting, provisional ballot, or otherwise;
(3) Provide a report of the unofficial final tabulated vote results for the contests to the
public prior to conducting the audit;
(4) Complete the audit in public view while also allowing the audit to be monitored by
credentialed poll watchers who are close enough to see and hear the process and view the
tally sheets; and
(5) Provide details of the audit to the public within 48 hours of completion.
(d) In the event that multiple qualified races are on a ballot, one race in addition to the race
at the top of the ballot shall be selected as a selected contest for auditing pursuant to this
Code section. The additional selected contest shall be selected by majority vote of the
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
minority leader of the Senate, and the minority leader of the House of Representatives;
provided, however, that, in the event that a majority vote cannot be obtained by 11:00 A.M.
on the Thursday immediately following the election, special election, election runoff,
special election runoff, primary, special primary, primary runoff, or special primary runoff,
the additional selected contest shall be selected by the chairperson of the State Election
Board. The selection vote required by this subsection does not need to occur in person;
such vote may be accomplished telephonically, virtually, or via written or electronic
correspondence.
(e) The State Election Board shall be responsible for overseeing the administration of this
Code section by election superintendents and shall be authorized to promulgate rules,
regulations, and procedures to implement and administer the provisions of this Code
section. The procedures prescribed by the State Election Board shall include security
procedures to ensure that collection of validly cast ballots is complete, accurate, and
trustworthy throughout the audit. The Secretary of State shall have no role in conducting,
overseeing, or administering the provisions of this Code section, unless requested by the
State Election Board.
(f)(e) Nothing in this Code section shall prevent an election superintendent from
conducting tabulation or risk-limiting audits in additional contests if circumstances warrant
the auditing of one or more additional contests than those required by this Code section."
SECTION 15.
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 Senate committee substitute to SB 568 would rewrite large parts of Georgia's election law, requiring public posting of voter lists, adding fines for registrars who miss removal deadlines, and changing ballot design, recount, and audit rules statewide.
### Plain-language summary
SB 568, as substituted by the Senate Committee on Ethics, amends Georgia's election code (O.C.G.A. Title 21, Chapter 2) in numerous ways. It requires county boards of registrars to finalize the list of eligible voters at least five days before advance voting starts and makes that list a public record open to inspection. It creates civil fines of up to $10,000 per registration for boards of registrars that fail to remove a voter after a successful challenge.
The bill also changes voting equipment rules for elections after July 1, 2026, moving toward hand marked paper ballots read by optical scanners with counterfeit detection, while keeping electronic ballot markers available for voters with disabilities. It adds rules for multiple advance voting locations, requires posting a list of who voted after polls close, directs the Secretary of State to keep an archive of those lists, changes ballot recount margins from 0.5 percent to 1 percent, requires recounts to be done by hand, and revises which races get risk-limiting audits and who oversees them.
### What it does
- Requires the official voter list to be finalized at least five days before advance voting and makes it a public record open for inspection and copying.
- Creates civil fines up to $10,000 per improperly retained registration for boards of registrars that fail to remove a successfully challenged voter.
- Shifts Georgia's voting equipment, after July 1, 2026, toward an optical scanning system using hand marked paper ballots with counterfeit-detecting infrared scanners, while keeping electronic ballot markers for voters with disabilities.
- Requires counties with multiple advance voting locations to assign specific precincts to each location and limit voters to their assigned site.
- Requires posting a list of everyone who voted after polls close and directs the Secretary of State to keep a permanent archive of those lists.
- Changes the automatic recount margin from one-half of one percent to one percent of votes cast and requires recounts to be done by manual hand count.
### Who it affects
County boards of registrars and election superintendents, the Secretary of State's office, the State Election Board, candidates seeking recounts, voters (including those with disabilities who rely on electronic ballot markers), and members of the public who request voter lists or scanned ballot images.
### Why it matters
The bill changes how Georgians' ballots are marked and counted, gives the public new access to voter lists and vote-cast records, and imposes financial penalties on local election officials who don't remove challenged voters, which could affect election administration, transparency, and costs at the county level.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 requires the voter list be completed five days before advance voting begins and makes it a public record under Georgia's open records law (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et seq.).
- Sections 2 and 3 add civil fines of up to $10,000 per registration for boards of registrars that fail to remove voters after successful challenges.
- Section 4 requires that after July 1, 2026, elections use an optical scanning system with hand marked paper ballots and infrared counterfeit detection, keeping electronic ballot markers for voters with disabilities.
- Section 9 requires counties or municipalities with multiple advance voting locations to assign each precinct to a specific location and limit voters to that site.
- Section 10 requires posting a list of everyone who voted after polls close and has the Secretary of State maintain an archival database of those lists.
- Section 12 adds requirements to post authentication files, cast vote records, and system logs alongside scanned ballot images, and removes the fee that used to be charged for high-resolution ballot scan requests.
- Section 13 lowers the recount threshold from a 0.5 percent vote margin to 1 percent and requires recounts to be conducted by manual hand count of all ballots.
- Section 14 changes which races get mandatory risk-limiting audits (adding U.S. Representative, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General) and removes the Secretary of State's role in administering those audits unless the State Election Board requests it.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-24)
- Last action: Senate Lost (2026-03-06)
- Sponsors: Greg Dolezal, Max Burns, Carden Summers, Steve Gooch, Matt Brass, Ben Watson, Jason Anavitarte, Brian Strickland, Blake Tillery
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73566
> The history, votes, and amendments (932 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb568.md?full=1