April 10, 2026
ATLANTA – All Voting is Local and a group of civil rights organizations sent a letter today to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to urge him to call a special legislative session in order to address problems with State Bill 189. The groups are specifically calling on the governor to extend the deadline for eliminating QR code-based tabulation until February of next year. This would give pilot programs time to be appropriately tested and installed.
The current bill that passed the state legislature would prohibit the use of QR codes for vote tabulation beginning July 1, 2026.
“This has placed counties in an impossible position,” the letter reads. “While they are required to administer uniform elections, they do not have the authority to independently change voting systems. Without immediate state action, counties face legal uncertainty, increased risk of litigation, and potential challenges in certifying election results. Compounding these risks is the very real potential for widespread voter confusion and disruption. Abrupt changes to voting systems without clear guidance, consistency, or preparation can lead to inconsistent practices across jurisdictions, longer wait times, ballot errors, and diminished public confidence in the electoral process.”
The full letter can be found here and was signed by the following organizations:
- All Voting is Local
- ACLU of Georgia
- Georgia NAACP and NAACP Legal Defense Fund
- Urban League of Greater Atlanta
- League of Women Voters – Georgia
- Black Voters Matter
- The People’s Agenda
- Southern Poverty Law Center
- Common Cause
- Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council