Republican leaders in the House of Representatives took the first step in bringing Georgia’s voters a more secure, accessible, and transparent election system. House Bill 316 (HB 316), which passed yesterday with bipartisan support, would update Georgia’s aging voting machines and introduce new reforms to expand access and ease of voting for registered, eligible voters.

“HB 316 is a bipartisan bill which prioritizes the interests of our communities and represents a victory for the common-sense solutions which are supported overwhelmingly by Georgia’s voters and elections officials,” said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “Chairman Fleming and Members of the House should be applauded for responding to partisan rhetoric and accusations with a real plan for progress.”

The bill provides for touchscreen-marked paper ballots and will transition our state to a deliberately-designed election system with a paper ballot, so that voters can rest assured with physical proof that their choice has been counted at the ballot box. The bill also introduces new measures to keep voters on the rolls longer and to cut back on human error in the voter registration process – bringing new voters into the fold and keeping more Georgians eligible to vote.

“HB 316 is the next step in a long line of voter-centric reforms that have enabled better elections for our voters, and I am proud to lead efforts to keep Georgia moving on a bright path forward,” said Chairman Barry Fleming. “This legislation will guarantee ballot access for every eligible voter while protecting election integrity and prioritizing transparency - while also keeping more hard-earned money in our taxpayers’ pockets.”

HB 316 has been transmitted to the Georgia Senate for consideration.