Georgia creates a committee to set standards for new voting equipment and adds recount and audit rules

The act adds Code Section 21-2-301 creating the committee, which must report its recommendations by January 31, 2027. The committee is made up of three electors appointed by the Governor, three senators, and three House members, with a cochair from each chamber. It may seek advice from election officials, cybersecurity experts, and accessibility experts. The report must be detailed enough for lawmakers and executive officials to plan funding, buying, and rollout of the new system for the 2028 election cycle. The report goes to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, Secretary of State, and State Election Board. The report is due by January 31, 2027. The committee section is repealed on July 1, 2029.

The act bars the sitting Secretary of State from selecting, certifying, or buying the new uniform system, including preparing requests for proposals. It covers the Secretary of State in office on the effective date of the new section. The elections director in the Secretary of State's office may still be consulted by the committee for advice. Any actions the Secretary of State took on this are declared void and ultra vires (beyond legal authority). It applies from the effective date of the new Code section.

The act adds a manual recount requirement in Code Section 21-2-495 and revises the definition of races subject to risk-limiting audits in Code Section 21-2-498. It covers county election superintendents and elections, special elections, runoffs, and primaries. If a ballot has only one race, that race gets the manual recount. If the recount shows the original count was wrong, returns must be corrected before certification. Audited contests include the top-of-ballot contest, listed statewide and federal races on the ballot, and one more contest chosen from a longer list of statewide offices and judges. The manual recount must be done before certification of results. An earlier election-law act (SB 189 of 2024) has its Section 7 effective date set at January 1, 2028.