Georgia lawmakers passed legislation on Thursday known as Senate Bill 189, aimed at enhancing the security of paper ballots, providing clearer guidelines for voter eligibility challenges, and implementing new regulations for presidential ballot qualification in the state.
As per the bill, counties in the state must report the results of absentee ballots within one hour after polls close. Additionally, in any election with fewer than 5,000 registered voters, the use of paper ballots is mandated.
That specific provision would not come into effect until 2025. Similarly, the prohibition on using QR codes to count ballots, which is currently practiced in some cases, would be enforced on July 1, 2026.
According to the Georgia Recorder, the bill provides clarity on what constitutes “probable cause” for challenging voter eligibility. Instances such as being registered in another jurisdiction, claiming a homestead exemption in a different county, or providing a non-residential address like a post office box could be considered probable cause for such challenges.
Under the new legislation, any political party that has qualified to be on the presidential ballot in at least 20 states will gain access to Georgia's ballot. This provision aims to streamline the process and make it easier for independent presidential candidates, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who must gather enough signatures on petitions in all 50 states to secure a spot on the ballot. Kennedy's super PAC has asserted that he has met the qualifications to be on Georgia's ballot.
The bill, having been approved by both the House and Senate, is now awaiting Gov. Brian Kemp's (R-GA) signature.
Source: The Washington Examiner
