By Eric Curl
April 18, 2026 – Georgia’s election system is facing uncertainty as Senate Bill 189, a law prohibiting the use of QR codes for vote tabulation, is set to take effect July 1 without a legislative fix in place.
The Georgia State Election Board discussed the issue during its April 15 meeting, where members said counties may be left without clear guidance on how to conduct elections under the new law.
Georgia’s system uses ballot marking devices that print both human-readable text and a QR code, with scanners typically reading the QR code for tabulation.
State Election Board Meeting: April 15, 2026 – YouTube
Under the law, the text portion of the ballot “shall constitute the official vote” for tabulation, recounts and audits, and scanners may not rely on QR codes or similar coding.
Board members said they have not received clear direction from state officials on how to transition away from that system.
Board member Janice Johnston said lawmakers have not provided answers when asked about the path forward.
“100% of the time, I’ve had a response of, ‘I don’t know,’” King said. “Well, ‘I don’t know’ is not good enough for the state of Georgia.”
Local election officials have raised similar concerns.
In an April 3 statement, Chatham County Board of Elections Director Brook Schreiner said the lack of legislative action leaves counties and voters facing a July 1 deadline “with no clear direction.”
Schreiner said officials are confronting multiple unresolved questions, including whether ballot marking devices can still be used, whether scanners remain authorized and whether counties may need to shift to hand-marked ballots or hand counting.
She also warned of potential costs and delays, saying counties would bear upfront expenses and that a shift to hand counting in larger jurisdictions could mean voters “could be waiting days for results.”
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil rights and voting organizations recently sent a letter urging Gov. Brian Kemp to call a special legislative session to delay the 2026 deadline for ending QR code-based vote tabulation, warning that SB 189 leaves counties without a funded or workable replacement system and risks confusion, legal challenges and disruptions to elections.
The issue comes as election officials prepare for upcoming primaries and the November general election, leaving a narrowing window for counties to finalize their plans.
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