Rep. Floyd Griffin: Call a Special Session—Let the Legislature Do its Job on Elections

Across Georgia, debate is intensifying over whether the Georgia State Election Board should mandate hand-marked paper ballots statewide. It is a significant proposal-one that affects every voter, every county and the integrity of our elections.

But, before we decide what to do, we must be clear about who should decide.

That responsibility belongs to the legislature.

This is not a minor administrative adjustment. This is a fundamental policy decision that shapes how millions of Georgians cast their vote. Decisions of this magnitude should never be made outside the legislative process. They require debate, transparency and accountability to the people.

Yet, right now, we are moving in the wrong direction-allowing an administrative body to consider sweeping changes that properly belong in the hands of elected lawmakers.

That must be corrected.

Governor Brian Kemp should immediately call a special session of the Georgia General Assembly to address this issue. Not later. Not after confusion sets in. Now.

A special session is not extraordinary when the integrity and administration of our elections are at stake-it is responsible leadership.

Bringing lawmakers back to the Capitol ensures that this issue is handled the right way. It allows for full hearings, expert testimony and open debate. It ensures that voters, election officials and communities across Georgia have a voice in the outcome. And most importantly, it results in clear law-not uncertainty.

The legislature must do its job.

Reasonable people can disagree on the best voting method. Some support hand-marked paper ballots as a way to enhance transparency and voter confidence. Others emphasize the efficiency, accessibility and security of Georgia's current system. Both sides raise valid points.

That is exactly why this issue demands legislative action-not administrative direction.

When decisions are made outside of the legislature, even with good intentions, it creates confusion. Counties are left to adjust without clear guidance. Voters begin to question the process. Confidence erodes-not because of the policy itself but because of how it was decided.

Georgia cannot afford that.

We have worked too hard to build a system that is secure, reliable and trusted. Maintaining that trust requires more than good outcomes-it requires the right process.

The path forward is simple and clear:

Call a special session. Bring the issue before the General Assembly. Debate it openly. Pass legislation that reflects the will of the people of Georgia.

Anything less falls short of the responsibility that we owe to our citizens.

Elections belong to the people-not to boards, not to bureaucratic processes but to the voters themselves. And, the people deserve to have their elected representatives make the decisions that govern how those elections are conducted.

Leaders should solve problems, not create them.

Call the special session. Let the legislature lead. And, let Georgia get this right.

Representative Floyd Griffin represents the citizens of District 149, which includes portions of Baldwin, Bibb and Jones counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2024 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Special Rules and State Planning & Community Affairs committees.

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The views expressed above and information shared are those of the author.