ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers are reviewing a 26-page elections bill that could significantly change how the state conducts its elections, just days before the legislative session ends.
The proposed legislation would grant new authority to the State Election Board, particularly in handling voter eligibility challenges, and would require poll workers to hand count paper ballots on election night to verify the results from voting machines.
The bill also proposes giving poll watchers increased access and removing Georgia from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a multistate voter data-sharing program.
Supporters of the bill argue the changes are necessary to ensure accuracy and boost voter confidence. “We just want to ask that the committee please be cautious in any last-minute tinkering to our current system,” said Charlene McGowan, Chief Counsel for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, warning that adjustments could disrupt a system that has already proven effective.
Local election officials have voiced concerns about the potential burden on poll workers. Rebecca Anglin, Elections Director in Greene County, stressed that efficiency matters on election night. “We do not want to see that process slow down, that people staying at a precinct and hand counting ballots on election night,” she said.
The bill has not yet passed either chamber and still needs broader support to move forward .With just over a week left in the legislative session, lawmakers have limited time to vote on the measure.
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