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Georgia legislation allows municipalities to opt out of Saturday advance voting, revises election rules, and modifies State Election Board oversight
Original title: Elections; allow municipalities to opt in to providing advance voting on Saturdays for municipal elections
Last action · April 2, 2025: Senate Passed/Adopted By SubstituteSponsors: Tim Fleming and 6 others
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law
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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.
What This Bill Would Do
Georgia municipalities are newly authorized to opt out of conducting on one or more Saturdays during municipal elections. The measure also attaches the State Election Board to the State Accounting Office rather than the Secretary of State, restricts the timing of State Election Board rules prior to elections, prohibits participation in certain s, and sets new drop box and election-night reporting rules.
Why it matters
Local voters face potential reductions in weekend voting opportunities if municipal governments choose to eliminate Saturday hours. The legislation directly impacts how counties and cities manage ballot drop boxes, process voter list maintenance, and report election-night vote totals.
Background
- The State Election Board is an entity in Georgia responsible for adopting rules and regulations for the conduct of elections and primaries. context
- Georgia law regulates municipal election procedures, advance voting schedules, and absentee ballot drop box utilization through Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Directly affected
Municipalities
Municipal governing authorities gain the option to opt out of Saturday advance voting for municipal-only elections and must comply with new reporting and drop box requirements.
Directly affected
Voters
Voters may experience changes in available Saturday advance voting dates, absentee ballot hand-delivery rules, drop box access hours, and election-night reporting visibility.
Directly affected
State Election Board
The board is administratively attached to the State Accounting Office rather than the Secretary of State and becomes subject to new rule-effective timing limits.
Directly affected
County boards of registrars
County registrars must adhere to new drop box placement, surveillance, daily ballot collection, reporting, and list maintenance protocols.
Key Facts
- Municipalities may opt out of conducting advance voting on one or more Saturdays during municipal elections, provided the election is not held concurrently with a state or county primary, election, or runoff.
- The State Election Board is administratively attached to the State Accounting Office rather than the office of the Secretary of State, effective July 1, 2025.
- State Election Board rules or regulations adopted within 60 days of an election or primary take effect 30 days following that election, primary, or runoff.
- State and local entities are prohibited from participating in multistate voter list maintenance organizations that encourage contacting unregistered individuals or share voter data beyond removing ineligible voters.
Show all 9 facts
- The Secretary of State is authorized to enter into voter list maintenance joint compacts with other states and share driver's license information for eligibility verification.
- Absentee ballot drop boxes are limited to the office of the board of registrars or inside advance voting locations, with a cap on additional drop boxes based on active registered voters or advance voting sites.
- Hand delivery of absentee ballots is restricted after the advance voting period ends, with specific exceptions for election day and the Monday prior to an election under set hours.
- Election superintendents must prepare and post a report of unofficial and incomplete vote totals by precinct and voting method on public websites or 24-hour accessible public locations no later than 11:59 P.M. on election night.
- Qualifying periods and candidate nomination petition deadlines for independent candidates and special elections are revised to the period between the fourth Monday in June and the second Tuesday in July.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my city cancel Saturday voting for local elections?
Yes. The governing authority of a municipality may opt out of conducting on one or more Saturdays during a municipal election during a duly called public meeting, as long as the municipal election is not held on the same date as a county or state primary, election, or runoff.
Where can absentee ballot drop boxes be placed?
Drop boxes must be established at the office of the board of registrars or absentee ballot clerk, or inside locations where is conducted, and must be closed when advance voting is not occurring at that location.
What are the rules for hand-delivering absentee ballots?
Hand delivery of absentee ballots is generally prohibited after the period ends, except for ballots delivered at the registrars' office on election day during polling hours, on the Monday prior to an election between 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. with prior public notice, via the U.S. Postal Service, or under federal military and overseas voting laws.
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
14 actions- Apr 2, 2025SenateSenate Engrossed
- Apr 2, 2025SenateSenate Third Read
- Apr 2, 2025SenateFloorSenate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
- Mar 28, 2025SenateCommitteeSenate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- Mar 28, 2025SenateSenate Read Second Time
- Mar 10, 2025SenateIntroducedSenate Read and Referred
Show 8 earlier actions
- Mar 6, 2025HouseCommitteeHouse Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- Mar 6, 2025HouseHouse Third Readers
- Mar 6, 2025HouseFloorHouse Passed/Adopted By Substitute
- Mar 4, 2025HouseHouse Withdrawn, Recommitted
- Feb 27, 2025HouseCommitteeHouse Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- Feb 13, 2025HouseHouse Second Readers
- Feb 12, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse First Readers
- Feb 11, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse Hopper
Version history & redline
5 versions on fileComparing LC 47 3558S/rcs → Sen Ctee sub LC 47 3701S
removed addedOfficial text
removed: LC 47 3558S
The House Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to HB 397:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to revise procedures for the removal of members of the State Election Board who were elected by a house of the General Assembly; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, is amended in Code Section 21-2-30, relating to creation, membership, terms of service, vacancies, quorum, bylaws, meetings, and executive director, by revising subsection (b) as follows: "(b) A member elected by a house of the General Assembly shall take office on the day following the adjournment of the regular session in which elected and shall serve for a term of two years and until his or her successor is elected and qualified, unless sooner removed. An elected member of the board may be removed at any time the General Assembly is in session by a majority vote of the house which elected him or her, or at any time when the General Assembly is not in session by the President of the Senate if such member was elected by the Senate or by the Speaker of the House of Representatives if such member was elected by the House of Representatives. In the event a vacancy should occur in the office of such a member of the board at a time when the General Assembly is not in session, then the President of the Senate shall thereupon appoint an elector to fill the vacancy if the prior incumbent of such office was elected by the Senate or appointed by the President of the Senate; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall thereupon appoint an elector to fill the vacancy if the prior incumbent of such office was elected by the House of Representatives or appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. A member appointed to fill a vacancy may be removed at any time by a majority vote of the house whose presiding officer appointed him or her in the same manner as a member elected by a house of the General Assembly." SECTION 2. added: 25 LC 47 3701S
The Senate Committee on Ethics offered the following
substitute to HB 397:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to provide that the State Election Board shall be administratively attached to the State Accounting Office; to provide for definitions; to limit the effective date of rules or regulations adopted by the State Election Board prior to a general primary, general election, or runoff thereof; to revise duties of the State Election Board; to revise provisions related to the qualification of presidential elections for independent candidates for the President or Vice President of the United States and candidate in special elections that are preceded by a special primary; to authorize counties to make the list of electors open for inspection at no cost; to remove authorization for the Secretary of State to become a member of a nongovernmental entity whose purpose is to share and exchange information in order to improve the accuracy and efficiency of voter registration systems; to prohibit the Secretary of State and other state and local actors from participating in certain multistate voter list maintenance organizations; to authorize the Secretary of State to enter into voter list maintenance joint compacts with other states and authorize the sharing of certain information; to prohibit the acceptance of hand delivered absentee ballots at certain times; to allow municipalities to opt out of providing advance voting on certain Saturdays for certain municipal elections; to revise provisions related to drop boxes; to revise reporting requirements related to absentee ballots and advance voting; to revise provisions related to locations to which poll watchers may have access; to provide certain reporting requirements on election night; to revise provisions related to the timelines for calling special elections and the dates on which 40,139 more added characters - read this versionAll laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →
Voting Record
MOTION TO ENGROSS: SB 214, HB 66, HB 79, HB 129, HB 134, HB 141, HB 370, HB 397, HB 445, HB 463, HB 532, HB 586, HB 652
Total
51
- Yes
- 29
- No
- 21
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 1
How they voted (51)
Kim JacksonParty not recordedno
Randy RobertsonParty not recordedyes
Chuck HufstetlerParty not recordedyes
Randal ManghamParty not recordedno
Nan OrrockParty not recordedno
Larry WalkerParty not recordedyes
David LucasParty not recordedno
Sheikh RahmanParty not recordedno
Kay KirkpatrickParty not recordedyes
Mike HodgesParty not recordedyes
Billy HickmanParty not recordedyes
Bo HatchettParty not recordedyes
Clint DixonParty not recordedyes
Kenya WicksParty not recordedno
Josh McLaurinParty not recordedno
RaShaun KempParty not recordedno
Sam WatsonParty not recordedyes
Chuck PayneParty not recordedyes
Lee AndersonParty not recordedyes
Sally HarrellParty not recordedno
Doc RhettParty not recordedno
Jason AnavitarteParty not recordedyes
Steve GoochParty not recordedyes
Tim BeardenParty not recordedyes
27 more members
Harold JonesParty not recordedno
Greg DolezalParty not recordedyes
Nikki MerrittParty not recordedno
Max BurnsParty not recordedyes
Drew EcholsParty not recordedyes
Shawn StillParty not recordedyes
Elena ParentParty not recordedno
Frank GinnParty not recordedyes
Donzella JamesParty not recordedno
Russ GoodmanParty not recordedyes
Tonya AndersonParty not recordedno
Bill CowsertParty not recordedyes
Emanuel JonesParty not recordedno
Ben WatsonParty not recordedyes
John AlbersParty not recordedyes
Carden SummersParty not recordedyes
Gail DavenportParty not recordedno
Ed SetzlerParty not recordedyes
Sonya HalpernParty not recordedno
Matt BrassParty not recordedyes
Marty HarbinParty not recordedyes
Brian StricklandParty not recordedyes
Freddie Powell SimsParty not recordedno
Derek MallowParty not recordedno
Rick WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Ed HarbisonParty not recordedno
Blake TilleryParty not recordedexcused
Show 2 earlier roll calls
PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE
Total
51
- Yes
- 30
- No
- 21
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (51)
Doc RhettParty not recordedno
Donzella JamesParty not recordedno
Marty HarbinParty not recordedyes
Sally HarrellParty not recordedno
Tim BeardenParty not recordedyes
Ben WatsonParty not recordedyes
Max BurnsParty not recordedyes
Drew EcholsParty not recordedyes
Kenya WicksParty not recordedno
RaShaun KempParty not recordedno
Nan OrrockParty not recordedno
Bill CowsertParty not recordedyes
Emanuel JonesParty not recordedno
Bo HatchettParty not recordedyes
Lee AndersonParty not recordedyes
Elena ParentParty not recordedno
Harold JonesParty not recordedno
Rick WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Sheikh RahmanParty not recordedno
Chuck HufstetlerParty not recordedyes
Jason AnavitarteParty not recordedyes
Clint DixonParty not recordedyes
Shawn StillParty not recordedyes
Ed HarbisonParty not recordedno
27 more members
Randal ManghamParty not recordedno
Tonya AndersonParty not recordedno
Gail DavenportParty not recordedno
Frank GinnParty not recordedyes
David LucasParty not recordedno
Randy RobertsonParty not recordedyes
Matt BrassParty not recordedyes
Sam WatsonParty not recordedyes
Josh McLaurinParty not recordedno
Derek MallowParty not recordedno
Chuck PayneParty not recordedyes
Blake TilleryParty not recordedyes
John AlbersParty not recordedyes
Kim JacksonParty not recordedno
Greg DolezalParty not recordedyes
Kay KirkpatrickParty not recordedyes
Ed SetzlerParty not recordedyes
Mike HodgesParty not recordedyes
Nikki MerrittParty not recordedno
Carden SummersParty not recordedyes
Billy HickmanParty not recordedyes
Freddie Powell SimsParty not recordedno
Steve GoochParty not recordedyes
Russ GoodmanParty not recordedyes
Brian StricklandParty not recordedyes
Larry WalkerParty not recordedyes
Sonya HalpernParty not recordedno
PASSAGE
Total
174
- Yes
- 154
- No
- 13
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 1
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 6
How they voted (174)
Noelle KahaianParty not recordedyes
Houston GainesParty not recordedyes
Rick TownsendParty not recordedyes
David JenkinsParty not recordedyes
Gabe OkoyeParty not recordedyes
Matt BartonParty not recordedyes
Rey MartinezParty not recordedyes
Michael SmithParty not recordedyes
Saira DraperParty not recordedyes
Steve TarvinParty not recordedno
Al WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Sylvia Wayfer BakerParty not recordedyes
Don ParsonsParty not recordedyes
Spencer FryeParty not recordedyes
Ron StephensParty not recordedyes
Solomon AdesanyaParty not recordedyes
David ClarkParty not recordedyes
Lydia GlaizeParty not recordedyes
Bryce BerryParty not recordedyes
Chuck MartinParty not recordedyes
Sandra ScottParty not recordedexcused
Mike CheokasParty not recordedyes
Steven MeeksParty not recordedyes
Katie DempseyParty not recordedyes
150 more members
Matt DubnikParty not recordedyes
Eddie LumsdenParty not recordedyes
Steven SainzParty not recordedyes
Brad ThomasParty not recordedno
Kimberly AlexanderParty not recordedyes
Sam ParkParty not recordedyes
Martin MomtahanParty not recordedexcused
Mary Margaret OliverParty not recordedyes
Edna JacksonParty not recordedexcused
James BurchettParty not recordedyes
Victor AndersonParty not recordedyes
Sharon CooperParty not recordedyes
Noel WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Carmen RiceParty not recordedyes
Mark NewtonParty not recordedyes
John CorbettParty not recordedyes
Danny MathisParty not recordedyes
Jutt HowardParty not recordedyes
Sheila JonesParty not recordedyes
Angie O'SteenParty not recordedyes
Shea RobertsParty not recordedno
Deborah SilcoxParty not recordedyes
Scott HiltonParty not recordedyes
David WilkersonParty not recordedyes
Johnny ChastainParty not recordedyes
Michelle AuParty not recordedyes
Yasmin NealParty not recordedyes
Matthew GambillParty not recordedyes
John LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Phil OlaleyeParty not recordedyes
Debbie BucknerParty not recordedyes
Mike CameronParty not recordedyes
Demetrius DouglasParty not recordedyes
Terry CummingsParty not recordedyes
Derrick JacksonParty not recordedyes
Lee HawkinsParty not recordedyes
Robert DawsonParty not recordedyes
Jaclyn FordParty not recordedyes
Karen LuptonParty not recordedexcused
Ruwa RommanParty not recordedyes
Doreen CarterParty not recordedno
Arlene BecklesParty not recordedyes
Robert FlournoyParty not recordedyes
Darlene TaylorParty not recordedyes
Long TranParty not recordedyes
Joe CampbellParty not recordedyes
Trey RhodesParty not recordedyes
Park CannonParty not recordedyes
Emory DunahooParty not recordedyes
David SampsonParty not recordedyes
Betsy HollandParty not recordedyes
Chuck EfstrationParty not recordedyes
Bill YeartaParty not recordedyes
Angela MooreParty not recordedyes
Gabriel SanchezParty not recordedyes
Shaw BlackmonParty not recordedyes
Viola DavisParty not recordedno
Bethany BallardParty not recordedyes
Dale WashburnParty not recordedyes
Regina Lewis-WardParty not recordedyes
Holt PersingerParty not recordedyes
Marvin LimParty not recordedyes
Inga WillisParty not recordedyes
Carter BarrettParty not recordedyes
Rob LeverettParty not recordedyes
Kasey CarpenterParty not recordedno
Rhonda TaylorParty not recordedno
Tyler SmithParty not recordedyes
Brian PrinceParty not recordedyes
Jasmine ClarkParty not recordedyes
Nissa JonesParty not recordedyes
Gary RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Joseph GullettParty not recordedyes
Anne WestbrookParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann SantosParty not recordedyes
Karla DrennerParty not recordedyes
Matt ReevesParty not recordedyes
Debra BazemoreParty not recordedyes
Scott HolcombParty not recordedyes
Rob CliftonParty not recordedyes
Lehman FranklinParty not recordedyes
Lynn SmithParty not recordedyes
Gerald GreeneParty not recordedyes
Ginny EhrhartParty not recordedyes
Floyd GriffinParty not recordedyes
Bill HitchensParty not recordedyes
Stan GunterParty not recordedyes
Chris ErwinParty not recordedyes
Mary Frances WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Leesa HaganParty not recordedyes
Carolyn HugleyParty not recordedyes
Omari CrawfordParty not recordedyes
Imani BarnesParty not recordedyes
Kim SchofieldParty not recordedno
Sandy DonatucciParty not recordedyes
John CarsonParty not recordedyes
Clint CroweParty not recordedyes
Karlton HowardParty not recordedno
Mitchell HornerParty not recordedno
Jason RidleyParty not recordedno
L.C. MylesParty not recordedyes
Esther PanitchParty not recordedyes
Mack JacksonParty not recordedyes
Derrick McCollumParty not recordedyes
Chas CannonParty not recordedyes
Lauren McDonaldParty not recordedyes
Devan SeabaughParty not recordedyes
Alan PowellParty not recordedyes
Segun AdeyinaParty not recordedyes
Brent CoxParty not recordedyes
Miriam ParisParty not recordedyes
Carl GilliardParty not recordedyes
Jordan RidleyParty not recordedno
Bill WerkheiserParty not recordedyes
Stacey EvansParty not recordedyes
Robert DickeyParty not recordedyes
Mitchell ScogginsParty not recordedyes
Rick JasperseParty not recordedyes
Matt HatchettParty not recordedyes
Lisa CampbellParty not recordedyes
Patty Marie StinsonParty not recordedexcused
Butch ParrishParty not recordedyes
Tim FlemingParty not recordedyes
Jesse PetreaParty not recordedyes
Teddy ReeseParty not recordedyes
Tangie HerringParty not recordedyes
Todd JonesParty not recordedyes
Mekyah McQueenParty not recordedyes
Charlice ByrdParty not recordedyes
Vance SmithParty not recordedyes
Jon BurnsParty not recordednot voting
Dar'shun KendrickParty not recordedyes
Soo HongParty not recordedyes
Sharon HendersonParty not recordedyes
Jan JonesParty not recordedyes
El-Mahdi HollyParty not recordedyes
David HuddlestonParty not recordedyes
Eric BellParty not recordedyes
Bruce WilliamsonParty not recordedyes
Rhonda BurnoughParty not recordedno
Kimberly NewParty not recordedyes
Tanya MillerParty not recordedyes
Dewey McClainParty not recordedyes
Buddy DeLoachParty not recordedexcused
Trey KelleyParty not recordedyes
Josh BonnerParty not recordedyes
Billy MitchellParty not recordedyes
Beth CampParty not recordedyes
Will WadeParty not recordedyes
Karen MathiakParty not recordedyes
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift99% confidence
Restructuring of State Election Board Administrative Oversight
The legislation shifts the administrative attachment of the State Election Board from the Secretary of State to the State Accounting Office.
policy shift99% confidence
Prohibition on Multistate Voter List Maintenance Organizations
State agencies and local election officials are explicitly barred from joining multistate voter list maintenance organizations that conduct voter registration outreach or share data beyond removing ineligible voters.
Connected Entities
OrganizationState Election Board“State board responsible for adopting election rules and maintaining investigativ”Map →
OrganizationSecretary of State“State office previously housing the State Election Board and managing voter list”Map →
OrganizationState Accounting Office“State office to which the State Election Board is administratively attached.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Driver Services“State department providing driver's license data for voter eligibility sharing.”Map →
Sources
Open source document
www.legis.ga.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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