---
title: SB 3. Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee; establish
collection: bills
id: 2026-special/sb3
cite_as: SB 3, 2026 Special Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sb3
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sb3.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sb3/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74767
date: 2026-06-25
status: passed
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: 2512
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sb3.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 3
session: 2026 Special Session
session_slug: 2026-special
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-06-25
last_action: Effective Date 2026-06-25
sponsors:
- Max Burns
- Larry Walker
- Jason Anavitarte
- Randy Robertson
- Shawn Still
- Clint Dixon
- Frank Ginn
- John Albers
- Lee Anderson
- Mike Hodges
- Matt Brass
- Russ Goodman
- Timothy Bearden
- Billy Hickman
- Ed Setzler
- Marty Harbin
- Bo Hatchett
- Jason T. Dickerson
- Drew Echols
- Chuck Payne
- Lanny Thomas
- Steven McNeel
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB3/2026/X1
upstream_id: 2154026
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- election equipment
- voting machines
- Secretary of State authority
- election recounts
- risk-limiting audits
---
# SB 3. Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee; establish
## Text
Senate Bill 3EX
By: Senators Burns of the 23rd, Walker III of the 20th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Robertson of
the 29th, Still of the 48th and others
AS PASSED
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 establish the Election Equipment Specifications
and Standards Committee to prepare recommendations for the specifications, standards, and
requirements for a new uniform system of election equipment; to provide for membership
and duties; to provide for input from subject matter experts; to provide for reporting; to
provide for the extent to which the Secretary of State is authorized to provide for the
selection, certification, or procurement of the new uniform system of election equipment; to
declare certain actions void and ultra vires; to provide for input from certain stakeholders;
to authorize per diems and expenses; to provide for automatic repeal; to establish provisions
related to mandatory recounts of votes in certain circumstances; to provide for the state to
reimburse the costs of such recounts; to authorize grants to counties; to revise provisions
related to selected contests subject to risk-limiting audits; to amend an Act relating to
elections and primaries approved May 6, 2024 (Ga. L. 2024, p. 1028), SB 189, so as to revise
an effective date; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
S. B. 3EX
SECTION 1.
Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and
primaries generally, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"21-2-301.
(a) There is created the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee that
shall recommend the specifications, standards, and requirements for a new uniform system
of election equipment based upon hand marked paper ballots produced utilizing ballot on
demand printing. Such committee shall be composed the following:
(1) Three electors of the state to be appointed by the Governor;
(2) Three members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on
Assignments, one of whom shall be designated as cochairperson; and
(3) Three members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated as cochairperson.
(b) The committee may seek input from, but shall not be limited to:
(1) The elections director of the Secretary of State's office, or his or her designee;
(2) The executive director of the State Election Board;
(3) The Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials;
(4) Cybersecurity experts; and
(5) Accessibility or disability experts.
(c) By January 31, 2027, the committee shall prepare a report which shall provide its
recommendations for specifications, standards, and requirements for a new uniform system
of election equipment. Such report shall be of sufficient detail so as to allow legislative
and executive policymakers to develop appropriations, procurement, and implementation
plans to provide for the use of such new uniform system of election equipment in the 2028
election cycle. The report shall be delivered to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of State, and the State Election
Board.
S. B. 3EX
(d)(1) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, except as provided for in
paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Secretary of State in office on the effective date of
this Code section shall have no role or authority in the selection, certification, or
procurement of such new uniform system, including, but not limited to, the preparation
of any requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, or other solicitations to potential
vendors of election equipment to be used as a part of such uniform system. Any and all
actions taken by the Secretary of State in office on the effective date of this Code section
related to the selection, certification, or procurement of a new uniform system of election
equipment shall be void and ultra vires.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection to the contrary, by majority vote the
committee may request input and comment from the elections director or any other
employee of the Secretary of State's office.
(e) Each nonlegislative member of the committee shall receive a per diem in an amount
equal to the per diem received by members of the General Assembly for each day or
portion of a day thereof spent in serving as a member of the committee and shall be paid
his or her necessary traveling expenses while engaged in the business of the committee
from funds appropriated to the State Election Board.
(f) This Code section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2029."
SECTION 2.
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
adding a new subsection to read as follows:
"(d.1)(1) For the purposes of this subsection the term 'qualified contest' shall mean a
general election contest for the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of
State, Attorney General, State School Superintendent, Commissioner of Insurance,
Commissioner of Agriculture, and Commissioner of Labor.
S. B. 3EX
(2) Notwithstanding any provisions of subsection (c) of this Code section to the contrary,
in any qualified contest that appears as the first or second contest on a ballot, the
difference between the number of votes received by a candidate who has been declared
elected to an office in such qualified contest and the number of votes received by any
other candidate or candidates not declared so elected shall be not more than one-half of
1 percent of the total votes which were cast in such qualified contest. If such difference
is not more than one-half of 1 percent, no later than two business days following the date
for certification of the election results required by subsection (k) of Code
Section 21-2-493, the Secretary of State shall direct that a manual recount of all ballots
cast in such qualified contest be performed in all counties. If, upon such recount, it is
determined that the original count was incorrect, the returns and all papers prepared by
the superintendents or the Secretary of State shall be corrected pursuant to subsection (i)
of Code Section 21-2-493 and the results recertified.
(3) The state shall reimburse counties the reasonable costs incurred by such counties in
any recount conducted pursuant to this subsection; provided, however, that, to be eligible
for such reimbursement, the superintendent for such county shall complete such recount
within seventeen days of the Secretary of State ordering the recount."
SECTION 3.
Said chapter is further amended in Code Section 21-2-498, relating to precertification
tabulation audits and risk-limiting audits, by revising paragraph (4) of subsection (a) as
follows:
"(4) 'Selected contests' means:
(A) The contest at the top of a ballot; and
(B) If they are on the ballot, each of the following races: presidential, United States
Senate, United States Representative, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of
S. B. 3EX
State, and Attorney General, provided that such selected contest is not the race at the
top of the ballot as provided for by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph; and
(C) 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."
SECTION 4.
An Act relating to elections and primaries approved May 6, 2024 (Ga. L. 2024, p. 1028),
SB 189, is amended by revising subsection (d) of Section 13 as follows:
"(d) Section 7 of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2028."
SECTION 5.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 6.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
S. B. 3EX
## 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.
Senate Bill 3 creates a new legislative committee to design a replacement statewide election equipment system based on hand marked paper ballots, strips the current Secretary of State of authority over selecting that system, and adds new rules for automatic recounts and election audits.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia currently uses touchscreen voting machines statewide. This bill sets up the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee, made up of three people appointed by the Governor, three senators, and three House members, to recommend specifications for a new statewide voting system built around hand marked paper ballots printed on demand. The committee must report its recommendations by January 31, 2027, aimed at rolling out the new system for the 2028 elections.
The bill also says the sitting Secretary of State has no authority over selecting, certifying, or procuring this new system, and voids any such actions already taken, unless the committee itself asks for input from the Secretary of State's office. Separately, the bill requires automatic statewide manual recounts for close statewide races (within half a percent) for governor and other top offices, with the state reimbursing counties that finish within 17 days. It also revises which contests must undergo risk-limiting audits and pushes back an effective date from a 2024 elections law. The new committee provision repeals itself on July 1, 2029, and the bill takes effect once signed by the Governor.
### What it does
- Creates a nine-member Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee to recommend specifications for a new statewide voting system using hand marked paper ballots printed on demand.
- Requires the committee to deliver a detailed report by January 31, 2027, to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker, Secretary of State, and State Election Board, aimed at use by the 2028 elections.
- Strips the current Secretary of State of authority over selecting, certifying, or procuring the new voting system and declares any such prior actions void and legally invalid (ultra vires), unless the committee requests the office's input.
- Adds a mandatory statewide manual recount requirement for close top statewide races (governor, lieutenant governor, and other named offices) when the margin is half a percent or less, with the state reimbursing counties' recount costs if finished within 17 days.
- Expands the list of election contests that must automatically undergo risk-limiting audits (statistical checks of vote counts) to include presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general races.
- Delays the effective date of a section of a 2024 elections law (SB 189) to January 1, 2028.
### Who it affects
The current Secretary of State, whose authority over selecting new election equipment is removed, the Governor, legislative leaders and appointed committee members who will design the new voting system, county election superintendents who administer recounts and audits, and Georgia voters whose ballots would eventually be cast on new equipment.
### Why it matters
If enacted, Georgia would move toward replacing its current voting machines with hand marked paper ballots printed on demand, a major change to how votes are cast statewide. Close statewide races would trigger automatic recounts paid for by the state, and the sitting Secretary of State would lose control over choosing the new voting technology.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 creates new Code Section 21-2-301 establishing the nine-member committee, its membership structure, and its mandate to recommend a hand marked paper ballot system printed on demand.
- Section 1 sets a January 31, 2027 deadline for the committee's report and directs it to policymakers including the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker, Secretary of State, and State Election Board.
- Section 1 bars the sitting Secretary of State from any role in selecting, certifying, or procuring the new equipment and voids any prior related actions, unless the committee requests input.
- Section 1 provides per diem and travel expense payments for nonlegislative committee members, funded through the State Election Board, and repeals the committee provision on July 1, 2029.
- Section 2 amends Code Section 21-2-495 to require automatic manual recounts in qualified statewide contests when the margin is half a percent or less, with state reimbursement for counties that finish within 17 days.
- Section 3 revises Code Section 21-2-498 to expand the list of contests automatically subject to risk-limiting audits, adding presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, and attorney general races.
- Section 4 revises a 2024 elections law (SB 189) to push the effective date of one of its sections to January 1, 2028.
- Section 5 makes the Act effective upon the Governor's signature or upon it becoming law without signature.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-06-25)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-06-25 (2026-06-25)
- Sponsors: Max Burns, Larry Walker, Jason Anavitarte, Randy Robertson, Shawn Still, Clint Dixon, Frank Ginn, John Albers, Lee Anderson, Mike Hodges, Matt Brass, Russ Goodman, Timothy Bearden, Billy Hickman, Ed Setzler, Marty Harbin, Bo Hatchett, Jason T. Dickerson, Drew Echols, Chuck Payne, Lanny Thomas, Steven McNeel
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74767
> The history, votes, and amendments (2,512 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sb3.md?full=1