A special committee convened at the Georgia Capitol on Friday to begin establishing rules for the state's next system of election equipment, marking the first step in a multi-year process to overhaul how votes are cast and counted in Georgia. The committee’s work is a direct response to recent legislative action that abolished Georgia's QR code-based vote tabulation system, extending the deadline for the transition after lawmakers missed a previous cutoff last month. The new system is expected to be in place by 2028.
Explainer Election Integrity in America: Safeguarding Voter Trust and Ballot Security
The central issue facing the committee is how Georgia will ensure secure, transparent, and auditable elections as it moves away from machine-only readable QR codes. The goal is to implement a system where votes are tallied using text that can be read and verified by humans, rather than relying on codes that are only interpretable by machines. This shift is intended to address concerns about transparency, auditability, and public confidence in election results.
This development follows action by the Georgia Legislature, which directed the end of QR code tabulation due to concerns about the ability of voters and auditors to verify election outcomes. The new committee, formally called the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee, was created through legislation sponsored by State Sen. Max Burns, a Sylvania Republican, during a special session this summer. The committee’s mandate is to prepare recommendations for a uniform voting system that meets updated security and accessibility requirements, reflecting both technological advancements and evolving expectations for election integrity.
Committee’s Initial Steps
Friday’s meeting was largely organizational, according to Deidre Holden, Paulding County Elections and Voter Registration director and committee member. She said the session focused on setting dates for future meetings and reviewing committee rules. Holden emphasized that the committee’s purpose is "to prepare recommendations for specifications and standards for a uniform system," which will serve as the foundation for Georgia’s next generation of voting equipment.
State Rep. Victor Anderson, who serves as co-chair, said the committee is actively seeking input from cybersecurity, auditing, and accessibility experts to inform its recommendations. The group is expected to develop standards that address both technical security and public confidence in election results. Anderson noted that the committee will be reaching out to a broad range of stakeholders, including election officials, technology vendors, and advocacy groups, to ensure that the new system is both secure and accessible to all voters.
The committee’s initial steps include gathering expert testimony, reviewing existing voting technologies, and evaluating best practices from other states. Members will also consider how to balance the need for robust security measures with the practical requirements of running elections in a state as large and diverse as Georgia. The committee is expected to meet regularly over the coming months as it works toward developing its recommendations.
Security and Integrity Concerns
Dr. Janice Johnston, a former State Election Board member, said the committee’s work is critical for election integrity. She referenced intelligence community reports provided by President Donald Trump, which claimed that voter registration databases have been compromised by foreign adversaries and local breaches. Johnston argued that hand-marked paper ballots are "voter verifiable, which is consistent with federal and state law in addition to being available for forensic audit."
"Paper poll books would prevent realtime manipulation of electronic voter rolls or post-election manipulation of voter databases."
— Dr. Janice Johnston, former State Election Board member
Johnston’s comments reflect a broader debate over the security of electronic voting systems. Critics have long argued that electronic systems are vulnerable to hacking and manipulation, both by foreign actors and domestic threats. Proponents of hand-marked paper ballots say they provide a physical record that can be independently audited, helping to ensure the accuracy of election results and bolster public trust.
Garland Favorito, co-founder of VoterGA, described the committee’s presentation on the procurement process as significant. He said the committee must determine a method to ensure the voting system produces accurate results, and suggested that publicly recorded hand counts could reduce both costs and security risks. Favorito’s comments highlight the importance of transparency and public oversight in the election process, as well as the need to control costs as the state transitions to a new system.
Next Steps and Legislative Context
The committee was established under SB 3EX, which was passed during a special legislative session. The law requires the state to have a new voting system in place by 2028, with votes tallied in a way that is readable by humans. The committee will continue to meet and is expected to deliver recommendations for the new system’s specifications and standards. These recommendations will guide the procurement and implementation of new voting equipment across Georgia’s 159 counties.
While critics have raised concerns about the security of electronic systems and the risks of foreign interference, supporters of the transition argue that moving to a more transparent, auditable system will strengthen public trust. The committee has not yet released a detailed timeline for when recommendations will be finalized, but members say they are committed to a thorough and inclusive process.
The transition to a new voting system is expected to be complex, involving not only the selection of new equipment but also training for election officials, public education campaigns, and updates to election procedures. The committee’s work will lay the groundwork for these changes, with the goal of ensuring that Georgia’s elections remain secure, accessible, and trustworthy for all voters.
For more information on the legislation establishing the committee, see the Georgia General Assembly’s official site.
