Lawmakers appointed to committee examining future of counting votes in Georgia
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and other officials have announced the lawmakers who will serve on the committee examining the future of elections in the state.
Formed during the special session in June, the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee is tasked with developing specifications, standards and requirements for a new statewide election system
Currently, voters make their choices on Dominion Voting machines, which then print ballots with a QR code that scanners read to tally votes. After President Trump was defeated by then-Vice President Joe Biden in the state in 2020, Republicans enacted a law in 2024 that bans the use of barcodes to count votes.
But state law still requires counties to use the machines. No money has been allocated to reprogram them, and lawmakers failed to agree on a replacement during the regular legislative session this year.
"As a former Secretary of State and current Governor, I know firsthand just how much our system of governance rests on being able to trust the results of the ballot box," Kemp said in a statement. "That's why we've made it easy to vote and hard to cheat in Georgia, and I look forward to the recommendations from the committee on how we can preserve that trust."
Chairing the committee will be Rep. Victor Anderson and Sen. Max Burns, both Republicans. The other lawmakers appointed to the committee are Rep. Tim Fleming, the Republican nominee for secretary of state in November's general election, Sen. Bo Hatchett, Sen. Rick Williams, and Rep. Scott Holcomb, the only Democratic lawmaker appointed.
Kemp also appointed Deidre Holden, the elections and voter registration supervisor of Paulding County; Chris Harvey, the executive director of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council and the former elections director and chief investigator in the Secretary of State's Office; and Sam Hatcher, the executive counsel for the Governor's Office.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as co-chair of the Joint Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee and am eager to get to work on this important issue," said Chairman Anderson. "Throughout the interim, this committee will work diligently to develop recommendations for uniform standards for Georgia's election equipment that strengthen the integrity, security, and reliability of our elections. We will work to ensure that every voter has confidence that our elections are conducted fairly and accurately. I look forward to working alongside my Senate co-chair and the members of this committee as we take on this important responsibility for the people of Georgia."
The committee's first meeting will take place on Aug. 7. It is required to make its recommendations by Jan. 31, 2027, so that the new system can be implemented by the 2028 election cycle.
