Georgia counties brace for paper ballots as QR code deadline looms

Election officials are advising counties to prepare for a move to hand-marked paper ballots for the November election as a July deadline approaches with no other solution in place.

After July 1, QR codes can no longer be used to count ballots due to a Georgia law that was passed in 2024.

The 2026 legislative session ended in Georgia without extending the deadline or providing guidance as to how election boards across the state should comply with the law.

State Election Board officials have said counties should prepare to move to hand-marked paper ballots by November in order to comply with the law if the Georgia legislature does not resolve the issue.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger told GPB News that paper ballots could be an option.

“We want to make sure we pull in all the key stakeholders in that, and at the end of day, make sure that voters don’t have to worry about anything,” he said. “But obviously, we’re good until June 30.”

Gov. Brian Kemp could call a special session for lawmakers to address the issue, but that would interfere with fundraising efforts for the upcoming elections because state law prohibits lawmakers from fundraising during a legislative session.

Several advocacy groups, including a conservative-leaning group called Georgia First, have called on Kemp to convene a special session, according to the Georgia Recorder.

Joseph Kirk, the Bartow County elections director, told the Georgia Recorder that without clear guidance, election workers are left to navigate the conflicting laws without any additional funds.

“That kind of contradiction we can’t resolve on the county level,” he said. “The only folks who can resolve that are either the Legislature; the secretary of state, who has the authority to set the statewide system; or a judge as a result of the lawsuit.”