SB598: SB598 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

Georgia's State Election Board can currently adopt rules or regulations affecting how elections are run, and local election superintendents can change election or voter registration practices. This bill limits when those changes can take effect close to an election. Under the bill, if the State Election Board adopts a nonemergency rule or regulation within 180 days of a presidential preference primary, general primary, general election, or runoff, that rule would not take effect until the day after the results are certified. For special elections, the timing follows existing law but the new rule still could not apply to that special election. The bill also creates a new Code section applying the same 180 day rule to local election superintendents who adopt or revise election or voter registration practices. The State Election Board could still adopt emergency rules, but only in cases of imminent peril to public health, safety, or welfare, and must follow added notice requirements to state officials and party leaders.

• Delays the effective date of any nonemergency State Election Board rule or regulation adopted within 180 days of a primary, election, or runoff until after certification.
• Bars nonemergency board rules adopted close to a special primary, special election, or runoff from applying to that contest at all.
• Creates a new Code section (21-2-79) applying the same 180 day delay to local election superintendents who adopt or revise election or voter registration practices.
• Restricts emergency rules from the State Election Board to situations of imminent peril to public health, safety, or welfare, adding required public and official notice steps.
• Requires a majority of the State Election Board to certify in writing that any emergency rule strictly complied with the law before it takes effect.

The State Election Board, county and local election superintendents and their staff, the Secretary of State, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, legislative election committee chairs, registered political parties, and ultimately Georgia voters who rely on stable election procedures near election dates.

By blocking last-minute rule and procedure changes from applying to an upcoming election, the bill would give election officials, poll workers, and voters more certainty about the rules in place as an election approaches, while limiting how quickly the state or local officials could respond to newly discovered problems.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 21-2-35 so nonemergency State Election Board rules adopted within 180 days of a primary, election, or runoff take effect only after certification of that contest.
• Section 1 states that rules adopted near a special primary or election follow existing timing law but cannot apply to that specific special contest.
• Section 1 limits emergency rulemaking to cases of 'imminent peril to public health, safety, or welfare' and adds notice requirements to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, relevant committee chairs, the Secretary of State, legislative counsel, and each registered political party's chief executive officer.
• 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 effective-date delay to local election superintendents who adopt or revise election or voter registration practices.
• Section 3 repeals all conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-02-25Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)Primary sponsor
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)
• Jaha Howard (D, SD-035)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)

• election rules
• State Election Board
• voting procedures
• election administration