SB531: SB531 Electors; convictions for offenses involving the purchase, possession, or control of certain controlled substances shall not prevent persons from registering, remaining registered, or voting; provide

Under current Georgia election law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-216), a person convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude cannot register, stay registered, or vote until their sentence is completed. This bill narrows what counts as a disqualifying felony for that purpose. The bill adds a new definition to the law stating that a felony involving moral turpitude does not include offenses arising from violations of subsection (a) or paragraph (1) of subsection (j) of O.C.G.A. § 16-13-30, Georgia's controlled substances law covering purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution, or sale of drugs or marijuana. In practice this means certain drug purchase or possession convictions would no longer block someone from voting. The rest of the existing rule stays the same: people convicted of other felonies involving moral turpitude still cannot vote until their sentence is finished, and people judicially found mentally incompetent still cannot vote unless that finding is removed. The change would take effect January 1, 2027.

• Adds a definition to Georgia's elector qualifications law (O.C.G.A. § 21-2-216) stating that certain drug-related offenses do not count as a felony involving moral turpitude for voting purposes.
• Excludes convictions under subsection (a) or paragraph (1) of subsection (j) of O.C.G.A. § 16-13-30 (covering purchase, possession, manufacture, distribution, or sale of controlled substances or marijuana) from triggering the voting disqualification.
• Leaves in place the existing rule that people convicted of other felonies involving moral turpitude cannot register, stay registered, or vote until their sentence is completed.
• Leaves in place the existing rule barring people judicially declared mentally incompetent from voting unless that disability is removed.
• Sets the effective date of the change as January 1, 2027.

Georgians with past convictions under the specified controlled substances law provisions, county election officials and boards of registrars who determine voter eligibility, and the Secretary of State's office, which oversees Georgia's voter rolls and eligibility checks.

People previously barred from voting because of certain drug purchase or possession convictions would become eligible to register and vote once the law takes effect, without needing to wait for full completion of a felony sentence tied to those specific offenses, changing who appears eligible on Georgia's voter rolls.

• Section 1 revises subsection (b) of O.C.G.A. § 21-2-216 to add a definition of 'felony involving moral turpitude' that excludes offenses under subsection (a) or paragraph (1) of subsection (j) of O.C.G.A. § 16-13-30.
• Section 1 keeps the existing rule that a person convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude may not register, remain registered, or vote until completing their sentence.
• Section 1 keeps the existing rule barring judicially determined mentally incompetent persons from voting unless the disability is removed.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-19Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-02-18Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)Primary sponsor
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Jaha Howard (D, SD-035)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)
• Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-005)
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)

• voting rights
• election rules
• drug convictions
• felon voting eligibility