Under Senate Bill 189, Georgia may no longer use a QR code to audit ballots. Now, tabulators must read ballots using the human-readable text portion of the ballot, like the bubble that is filled in to select a candidate. The new legislation updates prior legislation and gives state election officials greater ability to challenge potentially illegal voter registrations. The board of registrars will now be able to consider purging names on the state’s voter roll if probable cause exists, including:Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed legislation codifying sweeping changes to bolster the state’s election integrity.
Under the new law, challenges to names listed on the voter roll may be made within 45 days of an election, a provision that has already prompted threats of legal challenges because federal law holds that states and counties cannot make changes to voter rolls within 90 days. SB 189 also requires counties to report the results of all absentee ballots by no later than one hour after polls close. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger touted the legislation as a win for the state and promised to back funding for election officials to enact the new requirements. "Georgia is already a national leader in election integrity and security, and we congratulate Gov. Kemp and the General Assembly on the passage of the additional election integrity measures contained in this bill," Raffensperger said in a statement. "As my office continues to lead on ensuring free, fair, and accurate elections, I look forward to working with the General Assembly and Georgia counties next session to make sure that the changes the legislature put in place are fully funded." Left-leaning election advocates say the new law amounts to voter suppression. “This law empowers MAGA extremists to target Black and brown voters, and further strain election workers,” nonprofit group Fair Fight said in a statement. “SB 189 is a step back for voters’ rights and voting access in the state of Georgia,” said Andrea Young, executive director of the ACLU of Georgia. “Most importantly, this bill will require already overburdened election workers to spend time processing unnecessary voter challenges. As always, elected state officials should work to make voting easier and not more difficult for Georgia citizens. We are committed to protecting Georgia voters and will see the governor in court.”
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