Georgia's Voting System Set For $150 Million Overhaul

ATLANTA -- Gov. Brian Kemp signed a measure Tuesday to replace Georgia's electronic voting system with a $150 million touch-screen and paper ballot system. Georgia's former system, in use for almost 20 years, don't provide paper ballots. Kemp signed House Bill 316, along with several other measures, on the last day of the legislative session.

The new voting machines are known as ballot- making devices.

Election and voting security were major issues in last year's gubernatorial election in which Kemp narrowly defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams. Besides accusing Kemp and Republicans of suppressing the minority vote, they also said Georgia's voting system was susceptible to hacking and other forms of election fraud.

Earlier this year, newly elected Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said a hand-marked paper ballot system could cost up to $224 million over the next 10 years, with most of the printing costs to be borne by counties.

There has been no hard evidence over the years to suggest Georgia's election system has been hacked, but Abrams' New Georgia Project continues to support paper ballots.

Read more:

• Brian Kemp Inaugurated As New Governor | Pledges 'United' Georgia
• Stacey Abrams Filing Lawsuit Over Alleged Election Mismanagement
• Congress Investigating Alleged Georgia 2018 Election Violations

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“The passage of HB316 is a blow to democracy in our state,” said Nse Ufot, executive director of the New Georgia Project.“Georgia needs hand-marked paper ballots and a bill that will end the cycle of voter suppression. Cybersecurity experts at Georgia Tech and across the country agree that hand-marked paper ballots are the gold standard and most secure method of voting. We need to be able to verify that our votes are accurately recorded and counted.”