Georgia Delays QR Code Ban and Outlines Counting Process
Georgia will continue using QR codes for ballot tabulation after Governor Brian Kemp signed a delay to the original ban deadline.
The Government of Georgia will continue using QR codes on voting machine printouts for the current general election after lawmakers delayed the implementation of Senate Bill 189. Governor Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 3EX, which moved the deadline to end QR code tabulation from July 1, 2026, to January 1, 2028, because a replacement counting system had not been established.
Senate Bill 3EX also mandates a full hand recount for statewide races, including governor and secretary of state, if the margin of victory is 0.5% or less. To ensure security, election officials are following State Election Board Rules using numbered seals and logs to maintain chain-of-custody for voting equipment. Early voting has already surpassed 2 million participants, matching the pace of 2022.
To manage the results, officials utilize a three-wave counting process that prevents immediate winner declarations after polls close at 7 p.m. The first wave processes early in-person and pre-verified absentee votes, followed by Election-Day ballots transported via memory cards. The final wave involves provisional, military, and overseas ballots, which can be counted if postmarked by Election Day and received within three days. Officials maintain that these procedural requirements and paper trails cause reporting delays rather than technical glitches.
