---
title: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-498.1. Pilot program to audit paper ballots using optical character recognition.
collection: code
id: 21-2-498.1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 21-2-498.1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-498.1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-498.1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-2-498.1/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t21-(v18)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=7e748c96_0#page=87
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 / RETURNS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 21-2-498.1. Pilot program to audit paper ballots using optical character recognition.

The Secretary of State shall create a pilot program for the auditing of paper ballot images using optical character recognition technology or other related technology which shall verify the human-readable text portion of the ballot. Such auditing program shall not be based on or tabulate any QR code, bar code, or similar machine coding that may be printed on such ballots. Such audits shall include all ballot types, and the audit findings shall be reported prior to final certification of the election.

## History

Code 1981, § 21-2-498.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2024, p. 758, § 6/HB 974, effective July 1, 2024; Code 1981, § 21-2-498.1, enacted by Ga. L. 2024, p. 1028, § 11/SB 189, effective July 1, 2024.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2024, p. 758, § 6/HB 974 and Ga. L. 2024, p. 1028, § 11/SB 189 both enacted identical versions of this Code section, effective July 1, 2024.

## Law Reviews

For article on the 2024 enactment of this Code section, see 41 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 147 (2024).

## Effective Date

This Code section became effective July 1, 2024. See Editor’s note for clarification on enactments.