Georgia Lawmakers Propose Changes to Early Voting Process

New bill would assign early voters to one precinct, move to hand-marked paper ballots

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

State legislators in Georgia are considering a new bill, SB 568, that would make several changes to the state's early voting process. The proposal would assign early voters to one precinct in their county, rather than allowing them to vote at any precinct. It would also move early voting to a hand-marked paper ballot system instead of the currently used touchscreen system. The bill was introduced by Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal and has faced backlash from Democrats who view it as a barrier to voting.

Why it matters

These proposed changes to Georgia's voting laws come amid ongoing debates over election integrity and access to the ballot box. The state has been a battleground for voting rights issues in recent years, with both Republicans and Democrats pushing for reforms. This latest bill is likely to further inflame partisan tensions around voting in Georgia.

The details

SB 568 would require early voters to be assigned to a single precinct in their county, rather than being able to vote at any precinct. Dolezal says this is to avoid having to print too many different ballot permutations. The bill would also shift early voting to a hand-marked paper ballot system, where voters use a pen to mark their selections. Additionally, it would require local clerks to publicly post their entire voter rolls ahead of elections, which has raised privacy concerns from Democrats. The bill would also change the threshold for automatic recounts from 1.5% to 2%.

  • SB 568 was introduced by state Sen. Greg Dolezal this week.

The players

Greg Dolezal

A Republican state senator from Cumming, Georgia who introduced SB 568.

Sonya Halpern

A Democratic state senator from Atlanta who expressed concerns about the privacy implications of publicly posting voter rolls.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“So that we would not have to print so many permutations at the paper ballots, we would assign voters to an early voting location. Most people are going to vote to the at the early voting location closest to their home anyway.”

— Greg Dolezal, State Senator (atlantanewsfirst.com)

“Making public every single voter who is qualified to vote is to some extent, a little bit of an invasion of privacy for each individual voter. We need to have trust in our election officials to run those elections.”

— Sonya Halpern, State Senator (atlantanewsfirst.com)

What’s next

The bill will now move through the Georgia legislature, where it is likely to face continued debate and opposition from Democrats.

The takeaway

These proposed changes to Georgia's early voting process are the latest in a series of voting law reforms in the state, reflecting the ongoing partisan battles over election integrity and access. The bill's requirement to assign voters to a single precinct and move to hand-marked paper ballots is likely to be viewed by Democrats as an attempt to create new barriers to voting.