Factual Summary: Georgia's 2024 law bars the use of QR‑code barcodes for official vote tabulation after July 1, 2026, but the state has not adopted a replacement method, risking confusion for upcoming elections. Governor Brian Kemp called a special legislative session beginning Wednesday to resolve the counting issue and redraw 2028 congressional maps. The Secretary of State urged counties to keep using QR‑code scanners and OCR for official counts, while the State Election Board issued conflicting guidance favoring hand‑marked paper ballots as an emergency backup. A special U.S. House election is set for July 28, 2026.
Reserve Intelligence Brief
Headline overstates the ban as imminent rather than already scheduled; sourcing is strong original AP reporting; tone remains neutral; context adds essential background on the law, lack of replacement, and upcoming special session.