NOTE: This bill did not pass through the legislature in 2025. If it could come back early in 2026, it may be law by the 2026 general election, but it is clear that those at the top do not want real changes in favor of election transparency and security.
✅ Plain-Language Summary of SB 214 (Substitute Version)
This bill changes how elections are conducted in Georgia. It:
- 📄 Replaces electronic ballot markers (BMDs) with a system that uses:
- Hand-marked paper ballots
- Ballot-on-demand printing
- Optical scanning machines to tabulate votes
- 🧑🦽 Keeps one accessible electronic ballot marker per polling place for voters with disabilities
- 🏛️ Allows counties and cities to buy their own compatible equipment if they want more
- 🧾 Authorizes printed ballots for small, local-only elections under certain conditions
- ⚖️ Updates penalties and definitions related to interference with elections and equipment
🗳️ How Will Ballots Be Marked?
Under this bill:
- Most voters will mark their ballots by hand using ballot-on-demand printed paper ballots
- Electronic ballot markers will still be provided at each polling place for voters with disabilities only
- Voting will be done on paper, not BMDs or DREs (Direct Recording Electronic machines), except in specific accessibility cases
📊 Comparison Chart – Georgia Voting Before vs. After SB 214
| Area | Before SB 214 | After SB 214 |
|---|---|---|
| Ballot Marking Method | Electronic ballot markers (BMDs) used by nearly all voters | Paper ballots marked by hand for most voters |
| Voting Equipment | State provides electronic ballot markers and scanners | State provides optical scanners and ballot-on-demand printers |
| Accessibility | BMDs used by all voters | One electronic ballot marker per precinct for voters with disabilities |
| Ballot Printing | Pre-printed or pre-programmed ballots | Printed on demand at polling places |
| Use of hand-marked paper ballots | Rare, mainly for absentee ballots | Primary method of voting |
| Small election flexibility | All elections use full voting system | Small local elections (<5,000 voters) can use hand-marked absentee-style ballots with permission |
| Tampering penalties | Applied mostly to DREs and BMDs | Expanded to include all new equipment types (scanners, printers, etc.) |