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Updated on: June 14, 2026 / 4:05 PM EDT
/ CBS Atlanta
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Georgia lawmakers are set to return to the State Capitol on Wednesday for a special legislative session that is likely to shape both the state's political map and how votes are counted in upcoming elections.Gov. Brian Kemp called the session primarily to address congressional redistricting following recent court developments ahead of the 2028 election cycle. But lawmakers are also facing pressure to resolve an election administration issue involving the state's voting system before a special congressional election scheduled for later this summer.The dispute stems from legislation passed in 2024 that prohibited Georgia from using QR codes as the official method of tabulating votes after July 1, 2026. At the time, supporters argued the change would increase transparency by relying on vote selections that voters can directly read rather than machine-generated barcodes. However, lawmakers have not approved a replacement system.Georgia currently uses touchscreen ballot-marking devices that print a paper ballot containing both a human-readable summary of a voter's choices and a QR code. Election scanners use the QR code to tabulate votes.Earlier this year, state senators considered Senate Bill 568, a wider election proposal that included changes to voting technology and election administration. The measure ultimately failed to advance before the General Assembly adjourned, leaving state officials without an obvious course ahead as the July deadline approaches.The issue has become more urgent because a special election to fill the remainder of late U.S. Rep. David Scott's congressional term is scheduled for July 28, with early voting beginning July 6.
