South Gwinnett News

ATLANTA – State Representatives Sam Park, Shea Roberts, Scott Holcomb, and Jasmine Clark have introduced the "Restore Confidence in Elections Act," a new piece of legislation aimed at making hand marked ballots counted by existing ballot scanners the primary method of voting in Georgia.

According to Rep. Park, "Georgia will be one of the most important swing states in 2024. As public servants, we must take all action necessary to protect our elections and restore voter confidence." He further emphasized that hand marked paper ballots are considered the gold standard for election integrity, as recognized by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

The bill has been introduced in response to the demands of voters from both sides of the aisle who understand the importance of this issue. Rep. Park encourages Georgia voters to continue advocating for hand marked paper ballots and urges legislators from both parties to support this bill to protect democracy.

Rep. Roberts highlighted the cost-saving benefits of implementing hand marked ballots counted by scanners. She stated, "Tens of thousands fewer devices will need to be programmed, secured, tested, updated, maintained, warranted, and transported to and from polling places. An added benefit is that hand marked ballots counted by scanners will save millions statewide." The cost savings can then be used to address poll worker shortages and enhance security measures.

The "Restore Confidence in Elections Act" includes several key provisions. It would make hand marked ballots counted by scanners the primary voting method in Georgia. The voters' oval mark adjacent to the ballot text would be considered the official vote counted. The bill also allows for pre-election testing of equipment and public testing oversight. Recounts would be required to be conducted manually, ensuring maximum transparency and accuracy. Additionally, the legislation aims to criminalize unauthorized copying or distribution of voting software, with a felony-level offense.

The representatives also note that these changes would align Georgia's election procedures with the principles outlined in the 2024 Guiding Principles of Election Administration, recently released by the Carter Center and Baker Institute for Public Policy. Furthermore, the bill would bring Georgia's use of the Dominion Voting system in line with the nationally accepted standard configuration.

With the introduction of the "Restore Confidence in Elections Act," these representatives aim to address election controversies and conspiracies while providing voters with verifiable election outcomes that reflect the will of the people, regardless of the result. The bill seeks to restore voter confidence and ensure the integrity of the democratic process in Georgia.