|
SB 3EX – Extends QR Code Removal Deadline, Establishes New Election Equipment Committee, and Requires Manual Ballot Recounts in Some Races
On June 23, the Georgia General Assembly passed SB 3EX, as amended, to address the impending July 1, 2026, deadline established by Senate Bill 189 (2024), requiring counties to discontinue the use of QR code tabulation in elections.
The legislation provides counties with additional time to transition to a new voting system by extending the deadline from July 1, 2026, to January 1, 2028, ensuring election administration can continue without disruption while the state develops a long-term solution. The newly-created Election Equipment Specification and Standards Committee will be responsible for developing recommendations for a new uniform election system, based on hand-marked paper ballots utilizing ballot-on-demand printing technology, no later than January 31, 2027, to be utilized during the 2028 election cycle.
SB 3EX also makes targeted changes to post-election audit and recount procedures. The state's existing risk-limiting audit requirements were expanded to include additional races, including but not limited to U.S. House of Representatives and presidential contests, when those contests are not already at the top of the ballot.
A manual hand recount will be required when the margin of victory is one-half of one percent (0.5%) or less for either or both of the top two state races on the ballot, typically during the gubernatorial election cycle (provided that those state races are the first two on the ballot). The Secretary of State must notify counties of any required manual hand recount within two business days following county certification of election results. Counties that complete the recount within 17 days of the order to recount will be eligible for state reimbursement of reasonable costs incurred.
Access the bill's analysis here. A final version of the legislation should be available on the Georgia General Assembly website after midnight, June 24.
Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST)
More than 80 LHOST Local Acts were introduced which would have, if passed, allowed voters in the affected jurisdictions to decide whether to implement a homestead exemption funded by a 1% sales tax. The proceeds of the tax would have been used exclusively to reduce, and likely in some jurisdictions, eliminate, all ad valorem taxes levied by counties and cities on homesteaded properties, with any excess proceeds used to reduce the millage rate on all other types of property subject to ad valorem taxation. Because the Local Acts authorized a local homestead exemption referendum for each respective jurisdiction, they needed at least a 2/3rds majority in each chamber of the legislature. None of the bills received the needed majority.
A list of all LHOST bills introduced can be viewed here.
| 
