---
title: SB 598. Elections and Primaries; nonemergency rules or regulations adopted by the State Election Board within 180 days of an election shall not be effective for such election; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb598
cite_as: SB 598, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb598
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb598.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb598/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73695
date: 2026-02-26
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: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb598.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 598
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-25
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Randal Mangham
- Harold Jones
- Kenya Wicks
- Nabilah Islam Parkes
- Jaha Howard
- Nan Orrock
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB598/2025
upstream_id: 2124780
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- election rules
- State Election Board
- local election administration
- voting procedures
---
# SB 598. Elections and Primaries; nonemergency rules or regulations adopted by the State Election Board within 180 days of an election shall not be effective for such election; provide
## Text
Senate Bill 598
By: Senators Mangham of the 55th, Jones II of the 22nd, Wicks of the 34th, Parkes of the
7th, Howard of the 35th 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
elections and primaries generally, so as to provide that nonemergency rules or regulations
adopted by the State Election Board within 180 days of an election shall not be effective for
such election; to provide that certain changes to election practices or procedures made by a
local election superintendent within 180 days of an election shall not be effective for such
election; 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 by revising Code Section 21-2-35, relating to emergency
rules and regulations, imminent peril requirement, and procedures, as follows:
"21-2-35.
(a) Except for the adoption of any emergency rule or regulation as provided for in
subsection (b) of this Code section, if the State Election Board adopts a rule, as such term
is defined in Code Section 50-13-2, or a regulation and the date of such adoption is within
180 days of:
(1) The date of a presidential preference primary, general primary, general election, or
runoff thereof, the effective date of such rule or regulation shall be the day following the
date such primary, election, or runoff is certified; or
(2) The date of a special primary, special election, or runoff thereof, the effective date
of such rule or regulation shall be as otherwise provided by law; provided, however, that
such rule or regulation shall not be applicable to the conducting of any such special
primary, special election, or runoff.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, Chapter 3 of Title 38, relating to
emergency management, or Chapter 13 of Title 50, the 'Georgia Administrative Procedure
Act,' to the contrary, the State Election Board may only adopt emergency rules or
regulations in circumstances of imminent peril to public health, safety, or welfare. To
adopt any such emergency rule or regulation, in addition to any other rule-making
requirement of this chapter or Chapter 13 of Title 50, the State Election Board shall:
(1) Give notice to the public of its intended action;
(2) Immediately upon the setting of the date and time of the meeting at which such
emergency rule or regulation is to be considered give notice by email of its intended
action to:
(A) The Governor;
(B) The Lieutenant Governor;
(C) The Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(D) The chairpersons of the standing committees of each house of the General
Assembly tasked with election matters;
(E) The Secretary of State;
(F) Legislative counsel; and
(G) The chief executive officer of each political party registered pursuant to
subsection (a) of Code Section 21-2-110; and
(3) State in the notices required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection the nature
of the emergency and the manner in which such emergency represents an imminent peril
to public health, safety, or welfare.
(b)(c) Upon adoption or promulgation of any emergency rule or regulation pursuant to
subsection (b) of this Code section, a majority of the State Election Board shall certify in
writing that such emergency rule or regulation was made in strict and exact compliance
with the provisions of this chapter and subsection (e) of Code Section 50-13-4.
(c)(d) In the event of any conflict between this Code section and any provision of Chapter
13 of Title 50, this Code section shall govern and supersede any such conflicting
provision."
SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"21-2-79.
Except for where specifically authorized or required by this chapter, if a local election
superintendent adopts or revises any practice or procedure related to elections or voter
registration within 180 days of:
(1) The date of a presidential preference primary, general primary, general election, or
runoff thereof, the effective date of such practice or procedure shall be the day following
the date such primary, election, or runoff is certified; or
(2) The date of a special primary, special election, or runoff thereof, the effective date
of such rule or regulation shall be as otherwise provided by law; provided, however, that
such practice or procedure shall not be applicable to the conducting of any such special
primary, special election, or runoff."
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 block the State Election Board and local election officials from making most new election rule changes within 180 days of an election, delaying them until after results are certified.
### Plain-language summary
Currently the State Election Board can adopt rules or regulations affecting elections, and local election superintendents can change election practices or procedures, with fewer limits on timing. This bill amends Georgia's elections chapter (O.C.G.A. Title 21, Chapter 2) to say that any nonemergency rule or regulation the State Election Board adopts within 180 days of a presidential preference primary, general primary, general election, or runoff cannot take effect until the day after that election is certified. For special elections, the rule would follow existing law but could never apply to that special election itself.
The bill keeps the board's existing emergency rule power for cases of imminent peril to public health, safety, or welfare, with required notices to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, legislative committee chairs, the Secretary of State, and political parties. It also adds a new Code section, 21-2-79, applying the same 180 day delay to changes in practices or procedures made by local election superintendents.
### What it does
- Delays the effective date of most new State Election Board rules or regulations until after certification if adopted within 180 days of a major election.
- Bars any board rule adopted within 180 days of a special election, primary, or runoff from applying to that special contest.
- Preserves the board's ability to adopt emergency rules only in cases of imminent peril to public health, safety, or welfare, with added notice requirements.
- Creates a new Code section (21-2-79) applying the same 180 day delay rule to local election superintendents who adopt or revise election or voter registration practices.
- Repeals any conflicting state laws.
### Who it affects
The State Election Board, county and local election superintendents who run elections and voter registration, the Georgia Secretary of State's office, the Governor and legislative leaders who receive emergency rule notices, and ultimately voters and candidates affected by election procedures close to voting dates.
### Why it matters
By locking in election rules and local procedures well before voting begins, the bill limits last-minute changes that could confuse voters or poll workers, while still letting officials act quickly in genuine emergencies through a separate notice-and-certification process.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 21-2-35 so nonemergency board rules adopted within 180 days of a presidential preference primary, general primary, general election, or runoff take effect only the day after certification.
- Section 1 specifies that rules adopted within 180 days of a special primary, special election, or runoff cannot apply to that special contest.
- Section 1 keeps the board's emergency rule authority limited to imminent peril situations and requires email notice to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, relevant committee chairs, the Secretary of State, legislative counsel, and registered political parties before adopting one.
- Section 1 requires a majority of the board to certify in writing that any emergency rule strictly complied with the law and with O.C.G.A. § 50-13-4(e).
- Section 2 adds new Code Section 21-2-79, applying the same 180 day delay to practice or procedure changes made by local election superintendents.
- Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-25)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-26)
- Sponsors: Randal Mangham, Harold Jones, Kenya Wicks, Nabilah Islam Parkes, Jaha Howard, Nan Orrock
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73695
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb598.md?full=1