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The Greater Georgia political organization, founded by former U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, floats an alternative to Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposal to spend $5 million on a post-election hand recount of two races in November. Why? Critics say recounts using the current electronic ballot marking device (BMD) system is not a “backstop.” That’s because when it comes to vote tally verification, the ballots are untrustworthy. They are marked by unreliable touchscreen computers rather than by the voter.

This debate is occurring because a state law passed two years ago bars Georgia from using QR codes after July 1 of this year. Some state lawmakers and others say it may be impossible and cost nearly $75 million to update the touchscreens before the end of the year. Some argue that a simple money-saving answer is to use the established backup hand marked ballots (not touchscreens) as used as standard in almost all other states. This requires no funding, and will save millions of dollars since Georgia already uses the U.S. Election Assistance Commission-certified scanners needed. They say remove the proliferation of the 35,000 controversial touchscreens and allow voters to vote by hand on paper ballots and tabulate the ballots in the current scanners. Then for confirmation, audit the results using statistically appropriate sample sizes.

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger claims he lacks the funding to update the current system that displays choices on touchscreen machines and then prints paper ballots with QR codes containing voters’ selections. His critics, though, attack him for being disingenuous. They cite that in three budget meetings last year, Raffensperger and his staff advised the appropriations committees not to fund the QR code replacement software, citing cost of up to $75 million.

Greater Georgia says the recount money “simply concedes to an already broken system” and urged lawmakers to focus instead on fully replacing QR-code ballots before the deadline. This is easy and fast to do it is by using the current system in its standard configuration— hand marked ballots with precinct scanners— rather than the current unorthodox system where all voters must vote on touchscreen units designed for voters with disabilities.

So here’s the bottom line for election integrity that Greater Georgia advocates: Full funding and a realistic timeline by the General Assembly to replace QR-code ballots statewide– along with readable, voter-verifiable ballots counted based on what voters can confirm.

Proponents further recommend that worthy goals can be accomplished in an even more efficient way, with no new funding or equipment required: Simply remove the vast majority of the 35,000 touchscreen units and allow voters to mark their irrefutable votes by hand (no QR code) and have them tabulated by the current scanners. They say that solution is fast, reduces county election costs and provides the only trustworthy ballot.