---
title: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-371. Unofficial ballots; out-of-order systems.
collection: code
id: 21-2-371
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-371 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-371
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-371.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-371/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t21-(v18)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=868a5c43_0#page=362
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: ELECTIONS / ELECTIONS AND PRIMARIES GENERALLY / VOTING MACHINES AND VOTE RECORDERS GENERALLY / OPTICAL SCANNING VOTING SYSTEMS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 21-2-371. Unofficial ballots; out-of-order systems.

(a) If ballots for a precinct at which an optical scanning voting system is to be used shall not be delivered to the poll officers as required by this chapter, the chief manager of such precinct shall cause other ballots to be prepared, printed, or written, as nearly in the form of official ballots as practicable; and the poll officers shall cause the ballots, so substituted, to be used at the primary or election, in the same manner, as nearly as may be, as the official ballots. Such ballots, so substituted, shall be known as unofficial ballots.

(b) If any optical scanning voting system being used in any primary or election shall become out of order during such primary or election, it shall, if possible, be repaired or another optical scanning voting system substituted by the custodian or superintendent as promptly as possible, for which purpose the governing authority of the county or municipality may purchase as many extra optical scanning voting systems as it may deem necessary; but, in case such repair or substitution cannot be made, the ballots may be voted manually.

## History

Code 1981, § 21-2-371, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 1231, § 37; Ga. L. 1999, p. 29, § 1.